The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) says the provincial government’s new Health Human Resources Plan paints a grim picture of healthcare staffing—but still fails to grasp the full crisis nurses and patients are facing every day.
“Our public healthcare system is on the brink,” said Yvette Coffey, President of RNU. “Emergency rooms are overcrowded, patients are waiting 12 to 18 hours or more for care, and there are growing delays for urgent tests and procedures. These are not isolated issues. These are systemic failures driven by chronic short staffing.”
RNU took part in consultations on the new plan and provided feedback. While the union welcomes the government’s recognition that healthcare staffing is in crisis, it is deeply concerned the plan falls short of addressing the core issues—especially the use of outdated data to determine how many nurses are needed on the front lines.
“When the public hears that things are ‘improving,’ they deserve to understand the basis for that claim. If it’s drawn from 2022 data interpreted through assumptions from the 1990s, it’s worth questioning whether that truly reflects meaningful progress.” Coffey said.
Despite repeated calls from RNU, the government has yet to undertake a full core staffing review. The current system still relies on staffing models developed over three decades ago, when patient needs, hospital volumes, and the scope of nursing practice were dramatically different.
“You can’t build a plan for the future using broken tools from the past,” said Coffey. “Without an accurate understanding of what safe staffing levels actually look like today, the plan risks missing the mark entirely.”
Mandation is Out of Control
RNU says a worsening side effect of the staffing crisis is the increase in mandation—forcing nurses to work long hours and double shifts. It’s happening more often and affecting more nurses than ever before.
“No other critical profession—pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers—would be forced to work this way. But somehow, for a profession dominated by women, this is acceptable?” Coffey said. “It’s not just unsafe. It’s unjust.”
Research shows that the longer a nurse works, the higher the risk of medical errors. But the harm goes beyond the job. Nurses are being forced to give up their personal time, health, family responsibilities, and community involvement. The result is burnout, moral distress, and an exodus of experienced professionals.
Patient Workloads Are Unsustainable
Nurses aren’t just working short-staffed and long hours—they’re also carrying more patients than ever before. These growing workloads aren’t just unfair. They’re dangerous.
Research published by the National Library of Medicine shows that for every extra patient added to a nurse’s workload, the risk of a patient dying within 30 days of admission goes up by 7%. The risk of failing to respond to serious complications also rises. That’s not acceptable. That’s not safe.
This growing pressure is pushing all healthcare professionals past their limits – not just Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners. It’s leading to burnout, anxiety, and falling morale—and it’s driving critical workers out of the system when we need them most. And that’s certainly not sustainable.
Solutions Can’t Wait
To stabilize the workforce and rebuild public healthcare, RNU is demanding immediate government action:
- Conduct a Core Staffing Review Understand what’s really needed to deliver safe care across the system—based on today’s realities, not outdated guesswork.
- Introduce Safe Hours Legislation and End Excessive Mandation Set limits on how long nurses can be forced to work—just like in other high-risk professions.
- Establish an Independent Health Sector Safety Council Provide independent oversight to protect both patients and healthcare workers.
- Implement Safe Nurse-Patient Ratios Develop enforceable standards for how many patients a nurse can safely care for at once.
“We’re not just losing nurses to other provinces. We’re losing them to burnout and to a system that demands too much and gives too little in return,” Coffey said. “Retention is the solution. We must protect the nurses we have, or this plan will fail before it begins.”
Call to Action
RNU says the time for half-measures is over. The government must act decisively—and transparently—to ensure healthcare in Newfoundland and Labrador is safe, staffed, and sustainable.
“You can’t claim the system is improving while nurses are still collapsing under the weight of it. Progress means relief on the front lines—not just plans on paper,” said Coffey.
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About the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador (RNU) represents more than 5,800 registered nurses and nurse practitioners working in acute care, long-term care, community, education, and research. RNU is dedicated to advocating for quality public healthcare and ensuring that RNs and NPs are recognized and supported in delivering expert, evidence-based care to the people of this province.
For more information, please contact:
Jonathan Hamel
Director of Communications
Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador
Phone: (709) 691-6890
Email: jhamel@rnunl.ca