Vulnerabilities in the Nursing Workforce in Canada: The Anatomy and Physiology of Nursing Workforce Challenges and Potential Solutions for Better Planning, Policy and Management.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the underlying vulnerabilities of the Canadian nursing workforce more clearly than ever before. In this commentary, I highlight how the roots of the present vulnerabilities of the nursing workforce lie in part with the complex and adaptive nature of the nursing workforce system. I also propose systemic solutions to address these vulnerabilities through enhanced foundational data on the nursing workforce. These data can be adopted across the range of Canadian nursing workforce stakeholders to create high-quality, interactive and iterative planning, policy and management processes.