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Short Staffed and Stretched Thin
July 2, 2025
Across Newfoundland and Labrador, nurses are stretched to their breaking point. What used to be a demanding job has become a near-impossible one — not because nurses aren’t willing to give everything they have, but because there simply aren’t enough of them to go around.
“The biggest challenge in nursing is there’s not enough bodies, there’s not enough nurses, there’s not enough support staff.”
— Kathy Organ, NP
For many nurses on the floor the short staffing in the system results in mandatory overtime.
Even in departments with relatively lower vacancy rates, the strain is evident. Nurses are managing more patients with fewer hands, and the growing complexity of care adds to an already unmanageable load.
“Working in a department that doesn’t have as big a vacancy rate as other departments, we still run into issues with staffing. So, it’s always that balance of ensuring our patients are being cared for with less staff.”
— Jennifer Hiscock, RN
According to the 2021 Canadian census, Newfoundland and Labrador has a higher median age than the national average and one of the oldest populations in the country — with 23.6% of residents over the age of 65. The demographics of our province are a reality that the healthcare system must navigate. It’s not just staffing that must be managed — it’s space.
Nurses understand that keeping seniors in their homes, if it’s safe and they receive appropriate care, helps preserve dignity and quality of life. It also reduces pressure on healthcare facilities as the senior population continues to grow.
Those working in community health are especially concerned. As the province promotes home care for its aging population, nurses on the ground are often left without the resources to deliver it safely and effectively.
“We’re promoting care at home as much as possible. We’re having more and more of our population that is aging. So of course, we need more professionals to help keep these people at home and functioning as safely and as well as they possibly can.”
— Gonish Keeping, RN
The Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland & Labrador says the government’s recently released Health Human Resources Plan doesn’t go far enough.
“Our public healthcare system is on the brink,” says RNUNL President Yvette Coffey. “You can’t build a plan for the future using broken tools from the past. Without an accurate understanding of what safe staffing levels actually look like today, the plan risks missing the mark entirely.”
RNUNL continues to call for enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios, and an end to unsafe mandation practices that exhaust nurses and increase the risk of harm to patients.
📩 Nurses: Add your voice.
Email communications@rnunl.ca and tell us what it’s like to work short.
Your story can help push for the solutions we need — now more than ever.