New nurses quitting because of overwork, Alberta union says

The shortage of nurses in Alberta will only worsen as many young RNs quit their jobs complaining of overwork, says the United Nurses of Alberta.

Thirty per cent of nurses are leaving the profession within just five years of graduation, said Karen Craik, spokeswoman for the union that represents about 25,000 nurses.

Craik said on Wednesday that she gets a lot of calls from frustrated nurses.

"A disturbing thing with younger nurses is that because of the workload, and just other nurses being too busy to do actual mentoring, we are seeing high rates of nurses just saying after a couple of years, ‘I can’t deal with this.’ So, they leave the profession altogether," she said.

At the same time, she said, nearly 40 per cent of Alberta’s RNs are close to retirement age.

"It’s a real concern because when you’re looking at an aging workforce, you want to have nurses that are going to be in the system to replace the nurses that are retiring," Craik said.

"And, if they’re not there to replace them, then who's going to get nursing care?"

Hospitals around the province are struggling with sicker patients and with bed and staff shortages, she said.

Alberta’s universities and colleges have increased the number of nursing graduates recently, Craik said, but that isn’t helping the health-care system when so many nurses are quitting early on in their careers.

Lorraine Watson, associate dean in the faculty of nursing at the University of Calgary, said it’s hard to say where young nurses are going once they leave the profession.

"We’re definitely aware the nursing environment these days is not ideal because it’s such an acute, complex working arena. So, it does make for definite challenges," Watson said.

The university is working on a program that would see registered nurses practising in hospitals get more training and act as mentors for students, Watson said.

They're hoping this program will give nurses more variety and satisfaction in their work, she said, and perhaps keep them on the job.

A recent survey of 1,500 UNA members found that nearly 70 per cent of nurses have a workplace that is understaffed every day.

The survey also found that for a vast majority of shifts, nurses who are off ill or on vacation are not replaced. This means the remaining nurses have to pick up the extra work.

In May, more than 150 nurses rallied in front of the Alberta legislature in Edmonton calling on the province to recruit more members for the profession and improve working conditions.