Retirement parties arrive early in Ontario’s healthcare sector, where nurses are departing in growing numbers and hospitals scramble to keep wards staffed. Thunder Bay, known for its tranquil pace, is no exception to the province-wide churn that threatens the very fabric of patient care.
Inside hospital corridors and clinics, nurses across Ontario are retiring sooner than anticipated. Recent trends show a startling spike in departures among those aged 24 to 35. “It has always happened, but it’s happening in larger numbers,” observed Dr. Doris Grinspun, CEO of the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario (RNAO), during her Thunder Bay stop.
The roots of this exodus run deep. Nurses cite overwhelming workloads, escalating complexity, and wages that lag behind the demands of modern healthcare. Grinspun stressed that a lack of support for the most vulnerable—those grappling with homelessness, substance use, and mental health challenges—adds weight to every shift. As shelters and safe consumption sites close, these unmet needs often fall to nurses, creating frustration and moral fatigue.
“This is very demoralizing for health care professionals that come across people that they want to help but cannot help all the way,” Grinspun said. The result is a revolving door: experienced nurses walk out, and new graduates question if the system can sustain them.
Yet, paradoxically, interest in nursing careers has reached new heights. The pandemic’s impact may have exhausted many, but it also inspired a diverse new generation to choose nursing. Internationally educated professionals are finding welcome in Ontario, with programs like St. Joseph’s Care Group in Thunder Bay guiding newcomers from airport arrival to stable employment and community integration.
Efforts to retain staff are underway, from provincial initiatives increasing nurse practitioner training to calls for wage parity across sectors. As Grinspun argues, “What’s good for the public is good for nurses.” If Ontario is to heal its healthcare system, it must address the core reasons nurses leave and foster the dynamism now transforming the profession’s face.
References:
Revolving door of nurses needs to stop, says nursing association
