Immersive Simulation Training for Internationally Educated Nurses
AI-driven simulations to onboard and upskill nurses recently moved to Canada.
Project Overview
Updated June 5, 2025.
The Problem
Canada faces a critical nursing shortage. By 2030, the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions predicts Canada will lack over 110,000 nurses. This workforce crisis is hitting hardest in rural and remote communities where recruitment is already a challenge.
Provincial governments are increasingly turning to international recruitment for new nurses. However, many internationally recruited health care workers face difficulty transitioning to the environment of Canada’s healthcare system and its protocols. These difficulties prolong onboarding, and cause stress, burnout and underutilization of newly recruited nurses.
How We Are Solving It
Led by Lumeto in collaboration with the University of Manitoba, the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia Network and Bluedrop ISM; this project aims to incorporate AI-driven simulations into onboarding training for internationally trained nurses to safely practice their skills in adaptable, realistic healthcare scenarios before using them in real clinical settings.
Lumeto’s training platform features AI-powered 3D avatars that replicate real interactions, which will allow internationally educated nurses to practice complex conversations with patients, families and healthcare teams—including conversations in culturally sensitive care scenarios. Complementing this active training is the platform’s skills assessment and feedback component. Nurses can use these features to develop their skills and proficiency with Canadian protocols, and through AI receive real-time feedback in multiple languages so they can improve iteratively.
The project consortium will initially recruit participants in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Labrador and Manitoba as part of tackling recruitment challenges outside of major urban centers. The project will also support filling a critical talent gap for Canada and the potential for Lumeto’s platform to be adapted for other countries facing similar recruitment and training challenges in their health care systems.
By aiming to establish an entirely new standard in onboarding internationally educated nurses, this project stands to strengthen the healthcare system, reduce costly turnover, and enhance patient outcomes in Canada and beyond.
