REGINA — The Power of Nurses to Transform Health is the theme of National Nursing Week, May 11 to 17.
A recent report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Nursing in Canada 2024, shows Saskatchewan's nursing workforce is growing and ranks above the national and Western Canadian averages in key indicators. Saskatchewan has one of the largest nursing workforces per capita in both urban and rural areas, according to the Ministry of Health.
The ministry reports that more than 330 first-year nursing seats have been added since 2022 across registered nursing, registered psychiatric nursing, licensed practical nursing and nurse practitioner programs. Nearly 1,400 nursing seats are available at post-secondary institutions across the province.
Nurses who choose to work in Saskatchewan can benefit from supports during and after their studies, including scholarships, grants and incentive programs. These inclue:
- A new career laddering program that includes financial incentives for registered nurses from targeted communities to train as nurse practitioners;
- Opportunities for Continuing Care Assistants (CCAs) to become LPNs, and for LPNs to become RNs; and
- An Indigenous CCA pilot program to help meet staffing needs in Northern Saskatchewan.
There are a number of financial incentives available to nurses, including:
A Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive up to $50,000 for high priority health care professionals, including (RNs, RPNs, NPs and LPNs;),
- A Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive up to $50,000 for high priority health care professionals, including (RNs, RPNs, NPs and LPNs;),
- A relocation grant up to $40,000 over five years to support NPs who are willing to relocate to rural or northern communities with a population of 10,000 or less;
- Up to $20,000 in Saskatchewan student loan forgiveness to nursing graduates who choose to work in designated rural and mid-sized communities across the province, and
- The Graduate Retention Program, which offers up to $24,000 in tax credits to post-secondary graduates who build their careers in Saskatchewan.
To learn more about nursing and other health care career opportunities, and the Health Human Resources (HHR) Action Plan visit: Health Human Resources | Health care information in Saskatchewan | Government of Saskatchewan.
