Media Advisory
Report confirms urgent need for more RNs to prevent looming crisis
(Regina, December 14, 2004) The Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) report released today, Workforce Trends of Registered Nurses in Canada, 2004, confirms that Saskatchewan needs to expand Registered Nursing enrolment and improve their workplaces.
"It's like the calm before the storm," said Donna Brunskill, RN, SRNA Executive Director. "The statistics show that we have lost 10% of our members since the 1990's and what is disturbing is the unrelenting trend over the past ten years that the RN workforce is getting older. Our challenge and our goal must be to reverse that trend."
"The average age of RNs in Saskatchewan is 44.9 which is higher than the national average," Doug Elliott, Sask Trends Monitor said. "A striking conclusion is that if RNs were to retire at age 55, over 54% of Saskatchewan's entire RN workforce will retire in the next 10 years."
Brunskill said, "The people of Saskatchewan rely on the care provided by the RNs in their communities. This report shows us that we face a future of fewer RNs providing less care to an ever increasing demand. While we are encouraged by the government's plan to expand enrolment to 400 a year, there needs to be more. The Canadian Nursing Advisory Committee (2002) recommended a 25% increase in 2004 to meet the demand and a further 20% for the next four consecutive years."
"Research shows that graduates want to stay in Saskatchewan, but they are being recruited out of province," Brunskill said. "At the same time, RNs are going flat out and are working an incredible number of overtime hours and yet there are still 29% of our younger RNs working casual or part time. This does not make sense. Retaining our graduates and having quality work environments are essential if we are to have quality care in the future."
Brunskill concluded, "The SRNA remains committed to the need to work together; with government, educational institutions, unions and the health authorities to address the challenges before us. Together, we can develop and implement effective health human resource strategies."
The SRNA is the professional voice of nursing in Saskatchewan representing the province's almost 9,000 registered nurses.
For more information, please contact:
Maureen Belanger
Communications Coordinator
Saskatchewan Registered Nurses' Association
(306) 359-4243
Last Updated: May 4, 2008