The province has announced a $237 million investment to retain and recruit nurses in BC.
The investment is designed to build on the commitments made during signing of the Nurses’ Bargaining Association collective agreement last April, which will also help improve nurse-to-patient ratios.
Health Minister Adrian Dix says the work gone into securing this will take pressure off nurses and address staffing challenges across the province.
“Nurses play an important and pivotal role in providing quality care,” he says. “We are taking critical steps to address challenges around the province to meet ratios and staffing levels. “To meet them we are investing in our nursing workforce and improving patient care.”
Targets are one nurse per four patients in adult medical and surgical units, and one nurse per two patients in high-acuity units.
The province says they will provide $165 million in one-time funding for the expansion of province-wide rural-retention initiatives, GOHealth BC signing bonuses, and recruitment signing bonuses for difficult-to-fill vacancies.
They add another investment of $68.1 million will help fund training and licensing investments for expanding the internationally educated nurse bridging program, implementing a licensed practical nurse to registered nurse.
The province says the investment will help advance their strategy of providing 70 actions to retain, recruit and train health-care workers in BC while supporting an innovative health redesign and optimization.
