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
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.