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By Stephanie Swensrude

RIH STAFF SHORTAGES

Interior Health updates Kamloops council on hospital recruiting efforts

Jul 19, 2022 | 4:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — The head of clinical operations for Interior Health (IH) North visited Kamloops city council Tuesday (July 19) to give an update on their recruitment strategies.

Diane Shendruk, VP Clinical Operations for IH North said currently, 4,200 people work for IH in the region — with 2,600 of those working at Royal Inland Hospital (RIH).

Since September 2021, RIH has hired 300 nurses (RNs and LPNs) and 44 student nurses. Shendruk said every Thompson Rivers University (TRU) student working at RIH has been approached and offered a job at the hospital.

The new Phil and Jennie Gaglardi Tower at RIH opened this week, with many new patient rooms, a mental health and substance abuse ward and one new operating room. Health Minister Adrian Dix also announced three new operating rooms at RIH due to open sometime in 2023.

When asked whether or not there is personnel to staff those rooms, she said two anesthesiologists have recently been recruited and that they are actively recruiting OR nurses.

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Shendruk said IH has redeployed 31 staff from other areas to support RIH and was working on 20 more.

The hospital now has expanded physician coverage in the ICU, with an ICU physician present 24-7. There are also now more physicians in the ER, which Shendruk said should help with wait times.

According to Interior Health, there are 283 full-time and part-time job postings at RIH for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and care aides — accounting for a 28 per cent vacancy rate.