Nursing shortage threatens patient care, solutions needed

Canada’s nursing shortage is deepening as the population ages, stretching health‑care systems already strained by high turnover and burnout among nurses.

Impact on patients and services

Statistics Canada reports that nurses rank among the most emotionally exhausted health‑care workers. The strain shows up in longer wait times, reduced access to services and growing patient dissatisfaction, especially in rural areas where early intervention is often critical.

When staffing gaps force remaining nurses onto double shifts, the workload can lead to burnout and moral distress. Those conditions increase the risk of errors and diminish the quality of care that patients receive.

Mentorship app shows promise

Trillium Health Partners (THP) has rolled out an app called WeMentor+ that pairs new nurses with experienced mentors. The platform, which began as a pilot, helped cut turnover by almost half between 2023 and 2024. New hires receive an email invitation, answer a short questionnaire, and the algorithm suggests a suitable mentor for virtual or bedside support.

Domino Puson, a registered nurse who arrived from the Philippines, now serves as project manager for the app. He says the tool provides “mentorship on demand,” letting nurses reach out for advice through their work phones whenever a patient situation calls for it.

Retention depends on proper role alignment.

While the mentorship model offers a practical way to keep newer nurses engaged, it does not address the broader supply‑side challenge. Workforce projections indicate Ontario could lack more than 33,000 nurses and personal support workers by the end of the decade.

In the middle of these efforts, it is worth noting that retaining staff often hinges on matching workers to roles that suit their training. When nurses are shuffled into specialties where they lack expertise, the result can be higher turnover and lower morale, a pattern seen in many hospitals across the country.

Internationally educated nurses fill gaps

Once in Canada, many IENs start as registered practical nurses or licensed practical nurses, later taking regulatory exams to become registered nurses. Their work permits allow them to apply for permanent residence after gaining experience, a pathway highlighted by immigration lawyer Colin R. Singer as essential to the health‑care system’s stability.

Specialization and staff mix matter

Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc, president of the Canadian Nurses Association, argues that recognizing nurses’ specialties can improve retention. She recounts her own early‑career experience of “bumping,” when nurses were shifted between departments every few months, prompting many to leave the profession.

LeBlanc points out that practical nurses typically manage stable patients, while registered nurses and nurse practitioners handle more complex, unpredictable cases. Aligning staff to these roles, rather than defaulting to the lowest‑paid option, can reduce turnover and enhance patient outcomes.

She likens the situation to medical practice: “You wouldn’t have a family physician performing cardiac surgery.” The same principle applies to nursing—matching skill level to patient need is essential for a sustainable workforce.

Policy and future steps

Efforts to solve the nursing shortage must combine immediate actions, such as expanding mentorship programs and recruiting IENs, with longer‑term strategies that improve work‑life balance and recognize specialty expertise. A pan‑Canadian nursing retention toolkit, backed by the federal government, outlines initiatives focused on flexibility, safe practices and leadership development.

Even as hospitals strive to add more bodies, the consensus among experts is that optimizing the existing workforce—by ensuring nurses practice at the full scope of their training—will be key to maintaining access to quality care across Canada.