The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Health and Community Services:

Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge National Nursing Week and all nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The theme of National Nursing Week 2025 is The Power of Nurses to Transform Health.

Our government is transforming health care based on recommendations of Health Accord NL. We value the role registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and nurse practitioners are playing in that transformation.

It is why we continue to make significant investments to improve the work environment and work-life balance for all nurses in our province.

Our actions include significant investments for recruitment and retention, child care spaces to meet the needs of health care shift-workers, long service pay and retention bonuses for registered nurses, increased scope of practice for nurse practitioners, and additional for licensed practical nurse and registered nurses program at post-secondary institutions.

Our investments have led to a reduction in vacancies for registered nurses and nurse practitioners from over to 700 in 2023 to below 400 in 2025. In addition, more than 90 per cent of this year’s graduates have accepted full-time work in our province.

We are not done. We continue to work on further incentives to show our appreciation for all nurses in the province.

I ask all honourable members to show their appreciation for all nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Thank you.