$556,270 to support nurse staffing at Quinte Health Care hospitals

Todd Smith, MPP for Bay of Quinte, announced Quinte Health Care will receive $556,270 to help address staffing needs during the pandemic, in one-time funding through the Nursing Graduate Guarantee initiative.

The province introduced the program to prioritize recruitment and training within long-term care homes and acute care settings where surgical backlogs exist as a result of COVID-19.

“We know how important skilled frontline nurses are in quality health-care delivery,” said Smith. “This funding will help QHC to address its staffing needs and remain well positioned as we continue to face the impacts of this pandemic.”

An online portal will link registered nurses and registered practical nurses within 12 months of registering with the College of Nurses of Ontario to opportunities for full-time employment. The Ministry of Health will provide employers 20 weeks of funding for each new nurse approved to participate in the Nursing Graduate Guarantee initiative (NGG). The investment includes 12 weeks of funding for the incoming nurse’s transition to full-time hours.

Further, the NGG provides eight weeks of funding to reinvest in the professional development of existing frontline nurses through mentorship programs, allowances to participate in nursing councils, patient teaching, research and educational courses, internships in specialty areas of practice, or support for innovative proposal to improve patient experience and care outcomes.

QHC’s Vice-President and Chief Nursing Officer, Carol Smith Romeril, was pleased to learn of the funding.

“Quinte Health Care’s need for more nurses is greater than ever as we continue to provide exceptional care through the COVID-19 pandemic. Being able to attract new nursing graduates, provide them ample training thanks to the funding provided by the Ministry of Health, and add them to our nursing complement is advantageous for QHC and our community that is relying on us for care,” she said.

Smith Romeril added that “an additional benefit of the NGG is the supplementary funding we receive from the Ministry of Health to reinvest in the professional development of existing QHC nurses” and concluded, “We are extremely thankful to the Ministry of Health for this support.”

The NGG portal can be accessed at www.nursescarerstart.health.gov.on.ca The NGG program is open to nurses who have graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nursing or a diploma from a practical nursing program in Canada or internationally educated nurses within 12 months of their registering with the College of Nurses of Ontario.