N.L. isn't training enough nurses: educators

There are plenty of people in Newfoundland and Labrador who want to become nurses, say educators, but there isn't enough space in the province's nursing schools, and so the province's shortage of nurses is likely to grow.

"We certainly do have the numbers coming in every year. We do have the applicant pool each year and that hasn't changed. It's pretty steady from year to year," said Lena Clarke, registrar of Memorial University of Newfoundland's school of nursing.

Almost 250 nurses are trained in Newfoundland and Labrador annually, and eight of every 10 graduates stay in the province.

The bad news is that by 2012, the number of retirements every year may match, or surpass, the number of new nurses graduating in the province.

MUN can only accept one-third of the people who apply, Clarke said. The school needs a new, bigger building so they can take in more students.

"Certainly the government has to play a major role and will play a major role in determining that," said Karen Webber, associate director of undergraduate studies at the university.

In the mid-'90s, Newfoundland and Labrador trained about 70 more nurses every year than it does now.

Back then, there was a surplus of nurses across the country and many provinces reduced the number of nurses they train. But no one accounted for all the retirements that are starting to happen, and health officials expect that Canada will be short 60,000 nurses in about 12 years.  

"There certainly may be shortages and there may be difficulties," said Webber.

Newfoundland and Labrador already has a large shortage. Educators and the nurses union say the province needs about 1,000 more nurses — and the shortage will get worse.

Half the nurses working in the province are over age 40. The Health Department predicts that in another three years, nurses will start retiring by the hundreds.

On May 20, the nurses' union called off a strike by the province's more than 5000 nurses just hours before they were set to begin picketing hospitals. After a long, public dispute the province reached a tentative agreement with the nurses union for a new contract.

Nurse union leaders say their fight with the government was about improving recruitment and retention of nurses.

The deal includes wage hikes worth 21.5 per cent over four years, plus increases to both starting and top salary scales.