AI-generated illustration; not a photograph of the reported event.
- calendar_today November 2, 2026
Vitalité Reports 'Tangible Results' but Shortages Remain
The Vitalité Health Network claims its nurse recruitment efforts are achieving "tangible results"; however, data released by the network highlights persistent staffing shortages across northern New Brunswick. CEO France Desrosiers addressed the situation during a recent board meeting, detailing both successes and the ongoing recruitment challenges facing the network.
Majority of Nurse Vacancies Located in Northern Zones
As of September 30, nearly three-quarters of Vitalité's vacant nursing positions were concentrated in the Acadie-Bathurst, Restigouche (which includes Campbellton and Dalhousie), and Northwest (covering Edmundston and Grand Falls) zones. The latest data indicated a total of 130 permanent nursing positions unfilled across the network, with a particularly high number—44—vacant in the Northwest zone.
Board Meeting Highlights Recruitment Efforts and Gaps
During the network's board meeting last week, CEO Desrosiers noted that recruitment records have been broken over each of the past three years. However, hiring has been disproportionately successful in the Beauséjour zone, which covers Moncton and represents Vitalité's only southern health zone. This uneven distribution is a concern for stakeholders in the province.
Union Addresses Regional Imbalance and Recruitment Struggles
Paula Doucet, president of the New Brunswick Nurses' Union, voiced her concern over the disparity in nurse coverage between northern and southern New Brunswick. "Folks in the north feel like they've been forgotten about. There's always been this north and south divide, but that's the reality," Doucet stated. She attributed some of the ongoing challenges to limited hiring pools, competition with Quebec for francophone healthcare workers, and the tendency of nurses to remain in larger urban centers after completing their studies.
Recruitment and Retention Complicated by Workplace Morale
Internal survey results, discussed at the latest Vitalité board meeting, revealed that employees rated their experience of workplace recognition at 6.5 out of 10. Doucet suggested this score may be optimistic, noting issues of distrust and lack of direction from upper management as recurring themes among the network’s nurses. Complaints included insufficient written guidance and pressure on managers to comply with directives they felt were not always in patients’ best interests.
Comparisons with Anglophone Counterpart: Horizon Health Network
In comparison, Horizon Health Network, Vitalité’s anglophone counterpart, reported hiring 1,462 nurses since January last year, with the majority placed in major urban centers such as Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton. Horizon currently has 66 external nursing vacancies and operates at a larger scale with 12 hospitals and over 100 medical facilities.
Calls for Broader Policy and Structural Changes
Doucet suggested that introducing mandated nurse-to-patient ratios, similar to those in Nova Scotia, could help address stress and improve working conditions for nurses in New Brunswick. Despite ongoing efforts by both health networks, nurse recruitment and retention—particularly in the northernmost areas—remain pressing issues, and further responses from Vitalité regarding union claims are awaited.
Source: cbc.ca.
