What does the nurse shortage in Canada look like? 

The best way to fully grasp Canada’s nursing shortage is to examine the numbers. A 2022 study from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions revealed that more than half of those starting their nursing careers were contemplating leaving their jobs. Statistics Canada reported an increase of 24% in job vacancies for registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses from the first quarter of 2022 to the same quarter in 2023. 

In some areas, this shortage is even more profound. The Registered Nurses Association of Ontario asserts that the province requires 26,000 registered nurses to reach the RN-to-population ratio of the rest of the nation. 

Why is there a nursing shortage in Canada?

Many are under the impression that the COVID-19 pandemic is responsible for Canada’s current lack of nurses. While the pandemic shone a light on the situation, the shortage existed long before its arrival. As far back as 2019, the Canadian nursing shortage showed no sign of easing. The Canadian Federation of Nurses revealed that before the pandemic, 60% of nurses planned to leave their positions within the next year, and over 25% would leave nursing completely. 

What factors have contributed to the nurse shortage in Canada? Here are a few major contributors:

• Stress. According to Statistics Canada, 55% of nurses who leave their jobs do so because of burnout , while 48% cite mental health and well-being concerns. The Canadian Nurses Association echoes this, adding that nurses are increasingly required to do more with fewer resources.  
• Overtime. Roughly 30% of nurses worked overtime in 2022 compared to 18% of employees across all other occupational groups. In 1997, only 15.7% of nurses worked overtime. Those who did work overtime in 2022 worked an average of 8.2 extra hours per week — the highest average ever reported (Statistics Canada). 
• Violence. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions identifies violence as an ongoing problem that nurses face. A survey conducted before the pandemic revealed that 21% of nurses were subjected to daily verbal abuse from patients or patients’ families. 81% of nurses said they had experienced physical abuse at least once per year, while 25% encountered it weekly or daily. 
• Absenteeism. Long hours, increased workloads and ongoing stress leads to an increase in absenteeism . This, in turn, elevates the workload of the remaining staff. Nurses and associated health workers logged an average of 19 sick days in 2022. That’s up from 14.7 in the previous year (Statistics Canada). 

How can you keep your nursing positions filled? 

Now that we have identified the leading causes of dissatisfaction among nurses, you are better equipped to retain your current nursing staff. It is all about identifying potential problems and addressing them effectively. 

Flexible work schedules

As previously stated, some of the biggest problems facing nurses in Canada are stress, burnout and overtime. By introducing scheduling options that encourage a better work-life balance, you can alleviate these pressures. Health Canada recommends instituting a mix of part-time and casual positions, weekend workers, job sharing and provincial float pools. When it comes to a happy workforce, flexibility is key. This will better enable your organization to attract new hires while retaining current nursing professionals. 

Let nurses focus on nursing

An overly demanding workload can lead to burnout. It is necessary to provide nurses with the support required to enable them to focus on their patients and requisite nursing duties. By ensuring an adequate number of clerks, administrators, cleaners and other support staff, your organization can dramatically decrease the burden that nurses experience (Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions). This will also enable your nurses to put their expertise and training to work — greatly enhancing the overall performance of your organization. 

Foster a safe workplace

No one should ever feel unsafe in their workplace. It is your responsibility to promote a violence and bullying-free environment. Here are a few measures you may wish to implement:

• Education. A great way to combat violence is to prevent it from happening in the first place. As such, staff members could benefit from being able to recognize the warning signs of impending conflict, defuse tense situations and exercise proper protocols when required. 
• Secure environment. Your facility’s design can also enhance workplace safety. You may wish to consider visitor screening, security cameras, protective glass or screens and a strong security presence. It is important to have set emergency protocols in place and have staff members regularly practise them. 
• Offer support. It is important to offer support to those who have experienced bullying or violence in your workplace. You could introduce mental health counselling, education programs and employee support networks. It is also necessary to have an effective method for reporting incidents. 

Read more: Bullying in the Workplace

Nurture open communication

Ensuring your nursing staff can express concerns and offer solutions freely will prove a huge boon to your organization. After all, who is better equipped to identify and solve a nursing problem than a nurse? As the president of the Canadian Nursing Association states, “If adequately supported and invited to decision-making tables, nurses have solutions to solve several of our healthcare systems’ ongoing challenges.” Empowering your nurses could dramatically increase the likelihood of retaining them. 

Ensure time off

Ensuring nurses receive adequate time off can greatly reduce burnout and improve work-life balance. How do you facilitate a work-life balance in your organization? Begin by fostering a fair vacation schedule that enables all nurses to have time off. Health Canada also recommends that nurses use sick days rather than vacation days for illness. Most importantly, managers and other leaders could promote the benefits of vacation and work-life balance so nurses can fully embrace their vacation and much-needed downtime. 

Read more: The Wisdom of Offering Unpaid Time Off and Sabbaticals

Address practical needs

It is wise to remember that your nurses are real people with personal lives. By addressing their needs beyond their professional capacities, you are much more likely to maintain a happy team. Health Canada offers the following suggestions:

• Childcare. Nurses often work longer hours than those in other positions. As a result, they must scramble to find childcare that operates outside regular business hours. An onsite childcare facility could remove this burden.
• Transportation. Any attempt to make commuting easier would be greatly appreciated by your nursing staff. Furthermore, these efforts could help you better compete for new hires. 
• Relaxation spaces. By providing private spaces that allow nurses to rest, you can greatly enhance their well-being and levels of job satisfaction.

Offer competitive wages

With the cost of groceries, housing and fuel on the rise, a fair compensation package has become a crucial consideration for many healthcare professionals. Statistics Canada explains that nursing positions that remained vacant in the first quarter of 2023 offered wages that had increased 2.9% from the same quarter in 2022. Conversely, the average wage for all occupations (adjusted for composition effects) had risen by 3.5%. 

Institute a mentorship program

Your nursing staff bring valuable skills, training and expertise to their roles. Encouraging an environment that is conducive to learning enables nurses to pursue professional development and affords them the opportunity for mentorship, which means you can better retain your healthcare professionals. In fact, Indeed and Glassdoor’s Hiring and Workplace Trends Report 2023 shows that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs like mentoring have increasingly become a talking point on Glassdoor’s employer benefit reviews — up from 32% in 2018 to 48% in 2022. 

How do you ensure an effective mentorship initiative? Statistics Canada offers that these programs should have

• Dedicated times for mentees to access professional development through their mentors
• Mentors that have a dedicated mentoring position or specific times allotted solely for this role
• Mentors in a wide variety of competencies to meet the needs of mentees across different roles and levels of experience
• Accessibility to mentors via remote or virtual platforms
• Voluntary participation 

The nursing shortage in Canada does not have to be a daunting hurdle. By tweaking your organization to meet the needs of your current and future healthcare providers, you can increase your nurse retention. Plus, you have a valuable resource readily available — dedicated and experienced nurses who know exactly what their peers are looking for. You simply need to ask. 

Related:

• Why You Need Psychological Safety at Work for Employee Retention
• Addressing Isolation at Work is Key to Retention
• Implementing a Staff Retention Plan: 6 Strategies to Future-proof Your Company
• Quiet Quitting in Canada: Spot the Trend to Improve Engagement and Retention
• The Benefits of Mentorship at Work