Atlantic nursing leaders urge governments to back sustainable, public solutions for health care
Nursing union leaders from across Atlantic Canada finished series of meetings in St. John’s this week, united in their commitment to create the best workplaces for nurses and the best outcomes for patients.
The Atlantic Caucus, representing licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and nurse practitioners in Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick, met to address shared challenges and strengthen their collective advocacy for public healthcare.
From ending reliance on private agency nurses to empowering Nurse Practitioners and preparing for upcoming collective bargaining, the caucus emphasized collaboration, solutions, and solidarity and called on governments to act on what nurses know will work.
“The evidence is clear: relying on private agency nurses is not a sustainable solution,” said Yvette Coffey, President of the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador. “If New Brunswick can move toward eliminating their use, there’s no reason we can’t do the same here. We believe we can end our dependence on agency nurses through the solutions we have already put forward, such as our Travel Locum model, which keeps nurses in the public system, and by creating a permanent funding model for Nurse Practitioners to deliver care in communities that need it most. The solutions are on the table. What is needed now is political will and the determination to make nurses a true priority.”
“In New Brunswick, we have shown that over-reliance on private agency nurses is not inevitable; it is a choice,” said Paula Doucet, President of the New Brunswick Nurses Union. “Agency use has been drastically reduced, and elimination is a very real and achievable goal. We achieved this partially by implementing a solution similar to what Newfoundland and Labrador has done with its travel locum program, offering opportunities for our own nurses to travel to areas in the province with huge vacancies and needs. It is sustainable, flexible, and far less expensive than relying on private, for-profit agencies. Both our provinces helped shine a bright light on the inflated and uncontrolled spending on agency contracts, spending that diverted money away from the public system. There is a better way, and it starts with investing in nurses, not private companies.”
Nurse Practitioners (NPs) were also a key focus, with leaders reaffirming that empowering NPs to work to their full scope is essential to improving access to primary care across the region.
“Nurse Practitioners are ready to do more to meet the healthcare needs of our communities,” said Janet Hazelton, President of the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union. “We need to ensure NPs have the autonomy, authority, and funding to work to their full potential. I am encouraged by the pilot funding models underway in Newfoundland and Labrador. It is a strong step forward in recognizing the critical role NPs play in improving access to care.”
The caucus also reinforced the connection between safe staffing, retention, and quality care.
“This week was about more than sharing challenges; it was about sharing solutions,” added Coffey. “We are more united than ever, with a shared determination to ensure nurses’ voices continue to shape the future of public healthcare in Atlantic Canada.”