Most nursing graduates who move from their province of graduation go to British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario, but 88 percent of Saskatchewan licensed practical nursing grads stay, according to a report by the Canadian Institute of Health Information.
That is only the seventh best retention rate, said Colin Hein, executive director of the Saskatchewan Association of Licensed Practical Nurses.
The report covering the years 2004 to 2008 examined workforce trends in the regulated nursing profession across the country.
More than 341,000 nurses now work in the Canadian health care system, according to the report.
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Registered nurses make up nearly 77 percent of that number, at 261,889, while LPNs comprise nearly 22 percent and registered psychiatric nurses account for 1.5 percent.
The nursing workforce grew about two percent each year over the five-year term.
Most of the workers in all three categories were between the ages of 40 and 60.
The report said many are now 30 or older when they begin their careers. Most are female.
The number of LPNs in Saskatchewan is growing faster than the national average at 18 percent, compared to 13.8 percent.
“The report shows that Saskatchewan needs to stay ahead of the national average in terms of bringing new LPNs into the workforce because 26.1 percent of existing LPNs have more than 30 years experience,” said Hein.
