The Saskatchewan government has announced it will exceed its initial goal by adding 27 new full-time nurse practitioners (NPs) to rural and remote areas.
Applications for the new positions will be accepted until Monday.
The state says it set aside $4.5 million in this year's budget for staffing aimed at helping rural areas struggling with doctor shortages.
“Nurses play a vital role in Saskatchewan's health-care system and adding additional jobs to rural and remote areas will ensure residents can access the care they need closer to home,” said Tim McLeod, Minister of Mental Health, Addictions, Seniors and Rural and Remote Health.
“We look forward to having more nurses providing quality care in communities across Saskatchewan.”
In March, the provincial government announced plans to hire 25 new NPs and fund the province's first nurse-led clinic as a pilot project.
Nurse practitioners can work in collaboration with primary care teams to provide many of the services that family doctors provide, including advanced assessment, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions.
They can order diagnostic tests, prescribe medications, perform some medical procedures and provide referrals to specialists. Prince Albert, North Battleford, Outlook, Biggar and Wilkie are among the communities that will receive services from nurses as part of this initiative.
A report released earlier this year by the Canadian Institute for Health Information found that more doctors and nurses are leaving the province.
The report found there were 1,760 registered nurses in regional and remote areas in 2022, compared with 2,234 in 2018, when Scott Moe became premier.
Rural and remote health critic Jared Clark said Saskatchewan's loss of 474 registered nurses in rural and remote areas since 2018 is largely due to the province's unwillingness to listen to health-care workers in those communities.
“First and foremost, the government should listen to local leaders. They know what's best for their communities and they deserve to be included in the discussion,” he said.
Health critic Vicki Mowat said the state's track record of recruiting and retaining physicians has also been unsuccessful. She said Pennsylvania's Parkland, Sun Country and Kelsey Trail health districts have all seen declines in physician numbers since 2018. As of 2022, 35 physicians from all specialties in the state have left for other Canadian provinces.
-With files from Keenan Sorokan
