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The B.C. government is turning to a series of bonus programs in an effort to recruit new nurses to the province – and to rural areas where it can be hard to attract health-care workers.
That’s highlighted by bonuses of $30,000 in the northern parts of the province, and $20,000 in other rural and remote areas. In exchange, those nurses will be required to sign up for two years of service.
The government is also trying to attract nurses to its travel nurse program GoHealth BC, with a $15,000 bonus to those who sign up for two years.
These bonus programs come into effect April 1.
There’s also an expansion of the Provincial Rural Retention Incentive. Nurses can earn up to $8,000 a year if they agree to stay in one of 63 communities eligible for the program.
The B.C. government is also outlining acceptable patient to nurse ratios.
They include a ratio of 1:4 for general medical/surgical inpatient, 1:5 during the day for rehabilitation, 1:3 for palliative care and focused (special) care for adults and children, 1:2 for high acuity/step down, and 1:1 for intensive care.
According to the government, B.C. is the first province to bring in ratios for nurses – following the lead of other jurisdictions like Australia and California.
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