Home / Health / Nurses Love Nursing, Hate Jobs: Retention Crisis Revealed
Nurses Love Nursing, Hate Jobs: Retention Crisis Revealed
15 Oct
Summary
- Experienced RNs question structures hindering nurse retention.
- Travel nurse spending in Saskatchewan increased significantly.
- Supportive leaders, not just pay, retain nurses, research finds.
Kathleen MacMillan, a registered nurse with over 50 years of experience, challenges health system claims of not finding nurses. She suggests issues lie in attracting and retaining existing staff, stating, "What we have now is nurses who love nursing and they hate their jobs." MacMillan, formerly Ontario's provincial chief nursing officer, argues that nurses often choose agency work for control over their schedules and locations, not just better pay.
In Saskatchewan, spending on travel nurses escalated from $2.1 million to $98.8 million between 2019 and 2024. While the health authority has since reduced this spending, the opposition NDP criticized the reliance on expensive contract nurses, calling it "incompetence." They argue the funds could be better allocated to permanent positions.
Research highlights that supportive leadership, strong team dynamics, and a sense of accomplishment are more critical for nurse retention than salary alone. Factors like unmanageable workloads, sicker patients, and workplace violence contribute to dissatisfaction. Experts recommend employers utilize resources like Health Canada's nursing retention toolkit and the Magnet Recognition Program for excellence.
