Manitoba

Nurse-vacancy rates in rural Manitoba top 20 per cent

An increasing number of nursing positions in the Southern Health region has been left unfilled as health centres across rural Manitoba struggle to keep beds open due to staffing shortages.

More than 20% of registered nursing positions in Southern Health vacant as of end of September: documents

A tired-looking female health-care worker wearing medical scrubs, a medical mask and rubber gloves, with a stethoscope around her neck, leans against an outdoor wall in the sunshine, which casts her shadow.
A health-care worker wearing scrubs and a face mask is pictured. Approximately 21.2 per cent of registered nursing positions in Southern Health were vacant as of the end of September. (Alliance Images/Shutterstock)

An increasing number of nursing positions in the Southern Health region have been left unfilled as health centres across rural Manitoba struggle to keep beds open due to staffing shortages.

Approximately 21.2 per cent of registered nursing positions in Southern Health were vacant as of the end of September, documents obtained by the Manitoba NDP show. Over the past six months, the region's overall vacancy rate grew to 20.3 per cent from 16.7 per cent, or 507 total positions, the documents, obtained through freedom of information, show.

To read more on this story from the Winnipeg Free Press, click here

CBC Manitoba and the Winnipeg Free Press recognize each other as trusted news sources. This content is made available to our readers as part of a CBC Manitoba/Winnipeg Free Press agreement to collaborate to better serve our community.