Industry leaders laud the new system
Nova Scotia has taken a significant step toward addressing the burnout and challenging working conditions experienced by nurses in hospitals across the province. Under a new collective agreement, the province will establish nurse-to-patient ratios, a move that the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union believes will improve workplace conditions and patient care.
Janet Hazelton, president of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union, spoke at the union’s annual meeting in Truro on Monday, where she discussed the progress made in improving staffing conditions. According to a CBC report, the new agreement will establish guaranteed core staffing for every unit in hospitals across the province by the end of the month. Nurses will have the opportunity to review these staffing levels and request adjustments if needed.
“We've never been part of this before,” said Hazelton. “It’s a decision that we’re going to be part of making now.”
Addressing concerns over staffing numbers
The new nurse-to-patient ratios come after years of concerns over burnout, excessive overtime, and staff shortages that have left nurses unable to take breaks and vacations when needed. Hazelton said the change could significantly improve the working lives of nurses, allowing them to complete their shifts without feeling overloaded and to leave work at the scheduled end of their shifts.
Despite high nursing vacancies in the province, Hazelton is optimistic that the ratios are achievable. More than 1,000 nurses from other parts of Canada have already applied for temporary licenses to work in Nova Scotia. Additionally, ongoing efforts to streamline credentialing for internationally trained nurses could help meet staffing needs.
Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, praised Nova Scotia for adopting nurse-to-patient ratios. She said the province’s approach could become a model for the rest of Canada. Silas noted that while implementing the ratios might not happen overnight, the move, along with other efforts like retention bonuses and guaranteed job offers to nursing graduates, is a positive step toward improving working conditions.
“It’s all different steps to a puzzle to make it work,” said Silas.
Nova Scotia’s Health Minister Michelle Thompson also supported the initiative, noting that patients are sicker and more complex to treat than in the past. Ratios, she said, have been shown to improve patient outcomes in other regions, such as California, where patient mortality has decreased and hospital stays have shortened.
Thompson hopes that the new ratios will encourage nurses who have left the profession to return as they see positive changes in the workplace. Hazelton added that the improved staffing levels could also lead to fewer workplace injuries and reduced violence, as patients will no longer have to wait as long for care.
“We’re hoping that with more nurses, nurses will be more excited about going to work — they won’t dread their shifts,” said Hazelton.
