Interior Health optimistic worst of RIH nurse shortage is over

However, there are still several vacant positions in the hospital’s ER.

“We still have about 14 or 15 vacancies that we are recruiting for,” said Health Service Director, Richard Jewitt. “But, we have been able to run a training program that allows staff to receive the certification for those two specialist areas and we’ll be running another one of those courses coming up in September-October, particularly for the Emergency Department.”

Jewitt says an aging workforce has contributed to the nurse shortage at the hospital.

“Staff are retiring, so we need to make sure that we’re providing these programs in-house to keep ahead of that natural turnover.”

Tracy Quewezance, regional director for the BC Nurses’ union, says the specialized departments, like the ER and ICU, have been hit the hardest with vacancies.

“You can’t just graduate from nursing and walk right into these departments,” she said, “you need extra special training and experience to walk into them.”

While Interior Health works to train up more nurses in these roles, patients may still experience longer wait-times for care. “We will move staff around as we can,” Jewitt said. “We will obviously call in additional staff as those staff are available to pick up those shifts.”

Jewitt says he is hopeful the worst of the shortage is over.

by Jill Sperling

Interior Health optimistic worst of RIH nurse shortage is over

Our Community