The Government of Saskatchewan is reporting "significant progress" on its Health Human Resources Action Plan to hire new nurses and nurse practitioners, with many heading to rural areas.The province updated citizens on its recruitment and retention initiatives in a press release on March 7.To date, nearly 300 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled through the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive which offers up to $50,000 to new employees in nine high-priority health occupations. This incentive is available in 54 rural and remote communities across Saskatchewan. Over 75% of these incentives have been awarded to nurses.The provincial government recently expanded the Saskatchewan Loan Forgiveness for Nurses and Nurse Practitioners program to five additional communities. This initiative provides incentives to work in areas of the province with high recruitment needs.Nurses and nurse practitioners who start employment in designated communities may get up to $20,000 of Saskatchewan student loan debt forgiveness. Since the loan forgiveness program began in 2013, more than 550 nurses have received nearly $1.7 million of their student loans forgiven. Since December 2022, 1,002 nursing graduates from Saskatchewan and out-of-province have been hired. Currently, 235 Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) from the Philippines are in the various stages of their transitioning pathway. Of these IEN, 178 are in Saskatchewan with 73 having commenced employment in communities across the province.The Final Clinical Placement Bursary, which assists students preparing for a career in health care, has seen 180 approved for payment since April 1, 2023.To date, 223 of the 250 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions targeted in nine high-priority occupations to stabilize staffing in rural and remote areas of the province have now been filled.“Nurses and nurse practitioners are critical to the health of our communities and the future of the health care sector,” Health Minister Everett Hindley said.“We will continue to make significant investments in programs to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more nurses as we build a stronger, more resilient health care system for the people of Saskatchewan.”The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is targeting new graduates and internationally recruited nurses to fill the remaining postings. The SHA expects to have the remaining positions filled before the end of the fiscal year.Suncrest College will offer a new provincial Diagnostic Medical Sonography Advanced Diploma program in Yorkton beginning this fall. The program will launch with a six-seat intake for Saskatchewan students wishing to help meet the demand for diagnostic services.The SHA pledged to advance new mentorship programming; support continuous learning and development pathways; and create additional programming to support employee wellbeing and resiliency. Details on the province's Health Human Resources Action Plan are available at saskatchewan.ca/HHR.
The Government of Saskatchewan is reporting "significant progress" on its Health Human Resources Action Plan to hire new nurses and nurse practitioners, with many heading to rural areas.The province updated citizens on its recruitment and retention initiatives in a press release on March 7.To date, nearly 300 hard-to-recruit positions have been filled through the Rural and Remote Recruitment Incentive which offers up to $50,000 to new employees in nine high-priority health occupations. This incentive is available in 54 rural and remote communities across Saskatchewan. Over 75% of these incentives have been awarded to nurses.The provincial government recently expanded the Saskatchewan Loan Forgiveness for Nurses and Nurse Practitioners program to five additional communities. This initiative provides incentives to work in areas of the province with high recruitment needs.Nurses and nurse practitioners who start employment in designated communities may get up to $20,000 of Saskatchewan student loan debt forgiveness. Since the loan forgiveness program began in 2013, more than 550 nurses have received nearly $1.7 million of their student loans forgiven. Since December 2022, 1,002 nursing graduates from Saskatchewan and out-of-province have been hired. Currently, 235 Internationally Educated Nurses (IEN) from the Philippines are in the various stages of their transitioning pathway. Of these IEN, 178 are in Saskatchewan with 73 having commenced employment in communities across the province.The Final Clinical Placement Bursary, which assists students preparing for a career in health care, has seen 180 approved for payment since April 1, 2023.To date, 223 of the 250 new and enhanced permanent full-time positions targeted in nine high-priority occupations to stabilize staffing in rural and remote areas of the province have now been filled.“Nurses and nurse practitioners are critical to the health of our communities and the future of the health care sector,” Health Minister Everett Hindley said.“We will continue to make significant investments in programs to recruit, train, incentivize and retain more nurses as we build a stronger, more resilient health care system for the people of Saskatchewan.”The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) is targeting new graduates and internationally recruited nurses to fill the remaining postings. The SHA expects to have the remaining positions filled before the end of the fiscal year.Suncrest College will offer a new provincial Diagnostic Medical Sonography Advanced Diploma program in Yorkton beginning this fall. The program will launch with a six-seat intake for Saskatchewan students wishing to help meet the demand for diagnostic services.The SHA pledged to advance new mentorship programming; support continuous learning and development pathways; and create additional programming to support employee wellbeing and resiliency. Details on the province's Health Human Resources Action Plan are available at saskatchewan.ca/HHR.
