The Manitoba government says a record number of nurses are set to help strengthen intensive care units across the province.

Forty-five nurses will complete specialized ICU training this spring, preparing them to work in hospitals and other high-acuity settings.

The province says the move will help improve nurse-patient ratios and ensure Manitobans can access care when they need it most.

The nurses began training in early January and are expected to finish by late April.

A new group will begin training shortly after, creating what the province calls a steady pipeline of highly trained ICU staff.