Arnprior hospital offering staff education upgrades to retain workforce
At a time when there is a critical shortage of nurses in Ontario, the Arnprior Regional Hospital is taking a different approach to retain their staff.
The hospital in Arnprior, Ont. is offering a bridging program for employees to upgrade their skills or education in exchange for a prolonged employment.
"We really want to grow our own here at ARH," VP of Human Resources Andrea McClymont said.
The hospital foundation has committed $20,000 each year for the next 10 years to the program. Employees who have worked at the hospital for a least one year are eligible to apply. The trade off is following completion of their programs, staff must commit to working at least another two years at the Arnprior hospital.
"It's obviously important for us to retain our staff and I think having that commitment gives people the feel of what it's like to work here and to be part of this team and grow with us," McClymont said.
Tara McNicoll has been a registered practical nurse (RPN) in Arnprior for two years. This fall she received $5,000 from her employer to enroll at the University of Ottawa to become a registered nurse (RN).
"My end goal was to be an RN," McNicoll tells CTV News. "So this was just another way to do it."
"The difference between RN and RPN is RN's can have more critical patients whereas mine are more stable. I can advance to be a manager if I wanted, whereas an RPN you can't do that. So I can go into different roles at this hospital or others."
Following completion of the three-year nursing program at the University of Ottawa and the two year commitment that comes with the program, McNicoll will have spent seven years working at the hospital in Arnprior.
"It was a no-brainer for me," she said. "I love the people I work with; I think we have a great manager, great staff, so it was basically a no-brainer."
According to the Ontario Nurses' Association, the province needs to hire another 24,000 registered nurses to meet the national average.
McClymont says there are currently eight vacant RN positions at the Arnprior Regional Hospital.
In the first year of the program, three RPN's are receiving funding to become registered nurses.
At the Arnprior Regional Hospital, McClymont says the pay increases between $25,000 to $30,000 from RPN's to RN's.
"And I think after those two-year commitments people will be willing to stay," says McClymont. "It's a fantastic place to work."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to squash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Stamp prices rise for the third time in five years amid financial woes for Canada Post
Canada Post is increasing stamp prices for the third time since 2019, a move the Crown corporation says is a "reality" of its sales-based revenue structure.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
A subset of Alzheimer's cases may be caused by two copies of a single gene, new research shows
For the first time, researchers have identified a genetic form of late-in-life Alzheimer’s disease — in people who inherit two copies of a worrisome gene.
B.C. court date set for 3 accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three suspects accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year are scheduled to appear in court in Surrey on Tuesday.
Ontario MPP asked again to leave Ontario legislature over keffiyeh, Speaker loosens ban
An Ontario MPP was asked again to leave the Ontario legislature on Monday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that was banned by the Speaker last month due to its political symbolism.
WATCH Avian flu: Risk to humans grows as outbreaks spread, warns expert
H5N1 or avian flu is decimating wildlife around the world and is now spreading among cattle in the United States, sparking concerns about 'pandemic potential' for humans. Now a health expert is urging Canada to scale up surveillance north of the border.