Nova Scotia starts recruiting for internal travel nurse program

Registered nurses are now able to apply to be in Nova Scotia's first internal travel nurse pilot program.

The idea behind the program, according to a news release from the province, is to have a team of Nova Scotia Health travel nurses that can be sent to emergency departments around the province as needed to fill staffing gaps. It also aims to limit the hiring of nurses from private companies.

"This program is the first of its kind in the Maritimes and is intended to help retain and provide a different opportunity to those already working in our system and bring those currently working for external travel nurse agencies into our public healthcare system," Premier Tim Houston said in the news release.

Twenty to 30 full-time registered nurses will be hired for the program.

Nurses on the team will have $6 per hour or 15 per cent — whichever is higher — added to their base hourly rate for all shifts worked as a travel nurse. 

The program, a collaboration between the province, Nova Scotia Health and the Nova Scotia Council of Nursing Unions, is expected to launch by the end of March.

The province began working on an agreement to create a provincial travel nurse program in 2024.