As many as 31 new nurses may very well be heading to Prince Edward Island because of a world recruitment mission final month.
Officers with the province’s Workplace of Immigration and Well being PEI performed interviews with dozens of internationally educated nurses in Dubai in March.
The method was “very impactful and really profitable,” stated Rebecca Gill, PEI’s appearing director of well being recruitment.
“They’re excited to return to Prince Edward Island, they’re excited to be a part of our health-care system and make a distinction. It is a very vital effort so I do look ahead to them persevering with sooner or later.”
The immigration course of is underway and arrival dates will fluctuate, however Gill stated the bulk are anticipated to land later this 12 months and into early 2024.
Well being PEI is at present grappling with a 20 per cent emptiness charge for every type of employees, stated Tracy Wolbaum, the company’s government director of human sources. Ideally, that proportion could be 5 to seven per cent, she stated.
As nicely, the ratio of full-time staff in comparison with part-time staff is about 50-50, when there must be seven full-timers for each three part-timers. Wolbaum stated part-time staff have helped “tremendously” with the workload, however cannot be counted on to comply with take additional shifts the identical manner they used to.
“I hear from our nurses that they’re afraid to choose up a shift as a result of they do not know if they are going to have the ability to go residence when that shift is over — or they’re afraid to choose up a shift as a result of they do not know if they are going to are available and there is going to be enough staffing.”