Ontario Aims To Entice Health-Care Workers Home

Department of Health is traveling to Ontario and Alberta to bring health-care workers home.

As part of a series of five Opportunities Nova Scotia job fairs, Ontario department of health aims to entice expatriates and other health-care workers to take their careers east.

"Health-care workers are the heart and soul of our health-care system," said Chris d'Entremont, Minister of Health. "We've had a lot of retention and recruitment success so far, but we must continue to be aggressive."

Nova Scotia's new recruitment campaign, which will be launched at the job fairs, presents the province as a prescription for life that health-care workers should "take daily".

Research shows lifestyle is a major consideration when health-care professionals determine where they want to live and practice. Stunning images of the province, teamed with prescription instructions and side effects, highlight the unmatched lifestyle attributes the province has to offer.

"There are challenges that need our ongoing attention and we can't be complacent," said Mr. d'Entremont. "But Nova Scotia is fortunate to have some of the best recruitment and retention numbers in Canada."

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Nova Scotia has the most physicians per capita of any province. Of the 11,328 graduates of Nova Scotia nursing programs employed in Canada last year, almost 86 per cent were employed in Nova Scotia. Of those graduates, more than 83 per cent have full-time positions. The national rate of full-time employment for new nursing graduates is only 43 per cent.

This year, the province has added nine more physician residency positions, launched a training program at the Nova Scotia Community College to increase medical laboratory technologists and entered the second phase of the Nova Scotia Nursing Strategy. To date, $60 million has been invested in recruitment and retention of nurses.

In addition to offering an exceptional lifestyle, the province is ensuring that other components such as learning and career-growth opportunities, safe and healthy workplaces, relocation assistance, competitive compensation, and up-to-date technology are also in place.