BC offering up to $30k in bonuses to recruit and retain nurses

Tyler Olson/Shutterstock

Efforts to attract and retain nurses in BC are in full swing, as the province announced a $237-million investment to help with staffing challenges.

The investment in nurse recruitment is part of the province’s work to improve the quality of care to patients by working with the BC Nurses’ Union (BCNC) to establish a minimum nurse-to-patient ratio for six acute healthcare settings, including palliative care units and most adult medical and surgical units.

Under the new funding, existing and new nurses may be eligible for the bonuses available on April 1.

The largest sums are reserved for signing bonuses for nurses who can fill positions in remote areas in high need of staffing.

You might also like:

Nurses who sign up for a regular position with GoHealth BC will be eligible to receive up to $15,000 as a signing bonus. GoHealth BC is the province’s travel nursing program, and the province hopes that increased staffing in the program will reduce the reliance on nursing agencies.

Nurses who fill roles in rural and remote that are in high need of staffing can receive as much as $30,000 in signing bonuses. Eligible nurses will have to sign a two-year return-of-service agreement, and then they will be able to receive up to the maximum amount if they fill vacancies in Northern BC and up to $20,000 in other remote areas.

Aside from singing bonuses, the BC funding will also be expanded into the provincial Rural Retention Program. The benefits will be extended to provide nurses working in eligible communities up to $8,000 annually.

Minister of Health Adrian Dix shared how important the investment steps are for ensuring patient care around the province.

“Nurses play an important and pivotal role in providing quality patient care,” said Dix. “Through our collaborative work with the BCNU, we are taking critical steps to address staffing challenges around the province.”