'Close the gap': Sask. registered psychiatric nurse association warns of shortage

The Registered Psychiatric Nurses Association of Saskatchewan (RPNAS) is warning of a psychiatric nurse shortage in the province.

According to RPNAS, over 50 per cent of psychiatric nurses are eligible to retire.

There are currently just under 800 registered psychiatric nurses working in the province.

“The RPNAS participated in a market analysis study back in 2021, and the study identified a need for 1,400 psychiatric nurses in Saskatchewan,” Beverly Balaski, executive director of RPNAS, explained.

For psychiatric nurses in the province, retirements are exceeding graduations, according to Balaski.

“Over the last 20 years, we have seen a decline and that has been rapidly accelerated over the last five years,” she explained.

“Every year we are seeing a net loss of psychiatric nurses in the system that so desperately needs them.”

Psychiatric nurses play an important role in the health care system, specializing in mental health and addictions services.

The profession is utilized in both hospitals and correctional centres.

“The impact is access to service, they [a patient] may go to an emergency department and not have a psychiatric nurse that understands both their physical and psychological or mental health issues they are experiencing,” Balaski said.

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The RPNAS said one solution to decreasing numbers would be to increase enrolment in post secondary education systems.

Currently 80 seats are available, however Balaski said 120 seats would be preferred.

“If we had 120 education seats we could start to close that gap and that would probably take five or six years,” she said.

“If we can close that gap, we could ensure that the people of Saskatchewan have access to the right care provider in terms of their mental health nursing needs.”

Saskatchewan Polytechnic currently offers a psychiatric nursing advanced diploma in Regina and Saskatoon.

There is also a program at North West College in North Battleford.

In a statement to CTV News, the ministry of health said it is committed to the expansion of mental health and addictions treatment in the province.

The statement also highlighted the 2022-23 provincial budget approved a 24 seat increase to the Saskatchewan Polytechnic psychiatric nursing diploma program that would see 16 seats attributed to Regina and Saskatoon, and another eight to the North West College program.

Despite the increase, RPNAS says there needs to be a coordinated effort to fill the gap before it’s too late.

“There are three qualified applicants for every available seat,” Balaski said.

“So, every year hundreds of people are being turned away.”