NewsOnline reports that Canada is still in need of more nurses, as the COVID-19 pandemic’s effects are still being felt there and the population is aging.
According to the most recent data on open positions, the healthcare and social assistance sector had 162,100 open positions as of January 2023, which is a record high.
The federal government and provinces agree that immigration and expedited credential recognition for Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) are critical components of addressing the labour shortage and filling these vacancies.
Even before the pandemic, there was a nurse shortage in Canadian healthcare. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) reported in 2022 that many nurses were suffering from poor mental health and burnout.
Throughout the pandemic, this resulted in a large number of resignations among healthcare professionals.
Four out of ten nurses are now considering leaving their job, mostly because of high workloads and inadequate staffing levels, according to a poll on March 28. One in two younger, early-career nurses also reported symptoms of clinical burnout.
Now provinces are working to lower some of the obstacles that IENs might encounter once they enter Canada and draw more foreign nurses to Canada.
The Canadian provinces are making significant efforts to recruit and retain more nurses in response to this challenge.
Alberta declared in February that it would spend more than $15 million to support and train more IENs. The funding includes $7.8 million for students to receive bursaries worth up to $30,000.
With the remaining funds, three universities in Alberta will add 600 new seats for nurse bridging programs.
Recent changes to the nurse-to-patient ratio in British Columbia will vary depending on the type of care provided. For instance, there will be a 1:1 ratio between an ICU nurse and a ventilated patient.
In order to guarantee that patients receive the necessary care and that nurses are not overworked.
In November 2022, Manitoba unveiled its Health Human Resource Action Plan. The government also pledged to hire 2,000 more healthcare professionals, spend $200 million on retaining, training, and hiring healthcare professionals across the province, and do away with mandatory overtime.
A $10,000 recognition bonus for nurses in the province was announced by Tim Houston, the premier of Nova Scotia, on March 20. By the end of March 2024, those who agree to a two-year return of service agreement will be entitled to an extra $10,000 the following year.
The Ontario Ministry of Health, the College of Nurses in Ontario, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario implemented a number of changes in October 2022, including:
On January 1st this year, additional changes also became effective. New regulations were made such as:
There are several specifically tailored for healthcare professionals.
Nurses may be eligible for Express Entry programs like the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Canadian Experience Class.
The Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) is another popular pathway for nurses. The PNP allows provinces to select skilled, immigration candidates who they feel will have the best chance of becoming economically established within a province and able to fill gaps in the provincial labour force.
Here are some examples of PNP streams nurses can use:
Over 2,000 individuals from the Ikeja Police Barracks community benefited from an impactful outreach program spearheaded by Young Professionals for Tinubu (YP4T), an…
Open Heaven 24 December 2024 RCCG Daily Devotional can be accessed below. NewsOnline Nigeria…
Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate in Lagos and FCT today, 24 December 2024.…
Dele Farotimi has been released from prison few hours to Christmas. NewsOnline Nigeria reports…
Queen Naomi, Oriyomi, and Fasasi have been remanded in prison over the Ibadan stampede. …
Forty years after the release of the original JESUS film, Jesus Film Project is releasing an…