Summerside hospital gets creative with nurse recruitment

The Prince County Hospital in Summerside, P.E.I., has begun a pilot project with a goal for late fall of recruiting three intensive care nurses with at least five years of experience.

It involves incentives such as a $20,000 bursary, a complimentary family membership to Credit Union Place and a gift card from a local business.

The nurses, who would be recruited from outside the P.E.I. health-care system, would also qualify for a retention bursary.

The city of Summerside and Prince County Hospital Foundation are also involved. They are trying to fill vacancies with experienced staff, and retain the nurses they have now.

"It's a new approach that the community has taken to consider how they invest and support some of these challenges," said Paul Young, the acting administrator for the Prince County Hospital and the administrator for Community Hospitals West with Health PEI. "It may work. It may not work."

Young said staff are encouraged by the out-of-province response.

"What we've heard from staff is a sentiment of hope that they're encouraged that there is a new tool that's available, a new strategy that will help bring in some some much needed experience that would help complement and round off the team."

There are also incentives for new permanent ICU and emergency nurses with less experience. 

When it comes to retention in ICU, there are financial incentives of up to $2,000 for working full-time hours.

There are also raffles being done for gift cards for all permanent hospital staff.

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