Health Human Resources

Health Human Resources

Delivering quality health care requires a secure and adequate supply of health-care professionals. The resources below offer several approaches for addressing nurse staffing shortages and their effect on patient safety.

Future Care for Canadian Seniors: A Primer on Nursing Supply and Demand
report by the Conference Board of Canada, co-sponsored by CNA, describes the growing demand for nursing care for seniors. These findings come as a result of a recent decision to expand home- and community-based care services and implement new dementia and palliative care strategies in Canada.

Global Strategic Directions for Strengthening Nursing and Midwifery, 2016-2020
A World Health Organization report outlining the current nursing shortage and the importance of involving nurses in interprofessional care in light of growing global health inequities.

Tested Solutions for Eliminating Canada’s Registered Nurse Shortage
A CNA report offering practical and feasible responses to a key problem for Canada’s health system: if the health needs of Canadians continue to change, and no policy interventions are implemented, Canada will be short almost 60,000 full-time equivalent RNs by 2022. Download the report summary [PDF, 411.3 KB] (free).

Moving to Action: Evidence-based Retention and Recruitment Policy Initiatives for Nursing
This Linda McGillis Hall et al. report, based on comprehensive research studies on Canadian RN migration and mobility, suggests policy changes that could benefit Canada’s broader nurse recruitment and retention strategies.

The Canadian Health Human Resources Network
The Canadian Health Human Resources Network, established through funds from Health Canada, brings together national experts, researchers and policy-makers interested in health human resource research, policy and/or planning.