1. The nursing shortage is truly an international issue. For example, Canada dealing with its own existing shortage is constantly losing nurses to the United States. Per the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, “in 1996 the equivalent of 56% of Canadian nursing graduation immigrated to the United States. Experts estimate that 20,000 Canadian-trained nurses now work in the United States.”
2. Population growth
3. An aging population whereby seniors are particularly sensitive to the quality of the health care system
4. Lower student enrolment (existing conditions and global concerns such as those being dealt with the by the World Health Organization in matters such as SARS, etc. has done little to attract new students to the health arena)
5. the existing nurse workforce is maturing. Within 10 years, nearly half of working RNs will be 50 years of age or older and nearing retirement.
6. Nurse burnout. Increased stress levels and job dissatisfaction due to amplified workloads and longer hours to try and compensate for the existing shortage will actually repel good, existing nurse from the industry…. further adding to the problem.

In 2002, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization reported in a case study that the inadequate staffing of nurses had been a factor in 24% of 1,609 cases involving patient death, injury or permanent loss of function.

The report also revealed that in hospitals across the United States, 126,000 nursing positions remain unfilled and that 90% of long-term care facilities don’t have enough nurses to provide even the most basic care. Some home-health care agencies are being forced to refuse new patients.

Pharmacist Shortage

In July 2003, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation documented that 4,663 unfilled pharmacist positions were in existence.

In Canada, Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores President, Monika Simon, stated that, “the pharmacist shortage is a chronic problem in Canada’s health care system.” On March 1, 2002 a national Ipsos-Reid survey released found that over 50% of pharmacies with job openings were unable to fulfill the positions.

The increase in demand for pharmacists can be accredited to the profession’s increasingly important counseling role in health care, an aging population whereby people are receiving more drugs, and longer store hours for retailers housing pharmacies.

How Accu-Staff can help

The Medical Division of Accu-Staff Resource Systems Ltd. can tend to the urgency of this negative trend in medicine by recruiting qualified, appropriate professionals to fill existing shortages. This will allow governments and associations time to address the longer term issues in practicing medicine, such as retention of practicing professionals.

• Identify suitable candidates, customized to meet your industry-specific requirements
• Prepare candidate videos for review and streamline Curriculum Vitae
• Assist employers with recruitment planning
• Assist with employment contracts and job descriptions to meet immigration visa requirements
• Prepare applications for Temporary Work Permits
• Prepare visa extensions
• Prepare assisted family class visas