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- calendar_today November 7, 2026
Vitalité Moves Forward with Travel Nurses at Campbellton ER
Vitalité Health Network is relying on travel nurses to keep the emergency room (ER) at Campbellton Regional Hospital operational. This decision comes in the face of opposition from political leaders who have expressed concerns over the costs and long-term viability of using travel nurses to address staffing shortages.
Government's Position on Travel Nurse Utilization
Health Minister John Dornan reiterated his stance that hospitals in the province should not have to depend on travel nurses. “We used travel nurses when we were in a crisis during the COVID years,” Dornan stated. “We should be able to staff our hospitals without travel nurses.” Despite this, facilities like Campbellton Regional Hospital have found it necessary to employ them in order to keep doors open.
From Nurse Redeployment to Travel Nurse Hirings
In October, the New Brunswick government directed Vitalité to end the involuntary deployment of local nurses from across the province to Campbellton to address ER staffing gaps. This followed appeals from nursing organizations objecting to the disruption of primary care services in their home communities caused by these secondments. As new permanent recruits are still undergoing advanced critical care training, Vitalité stated it needs to bring in travel nurses to fill the gaps until those recruits are ready to assume their responsibilities.
Extent of Travel Nurse Use in Campbellton
Restigouche Regional Service Commission representative Brad Mann reported that at least three travel nurses have been contracted by Vitalité without the provincial government’s prior knowledge. “They've confirmed there are two travel nurses in Campbellton as we speak, and there is another one on its way, so that would mean there would be three,” Mann explained. Vitalité indicated to Mann that travel nurses would be needed for an additional six months.
Health Minister and Community Response
Minister Dornan clarified the province does not prohibit the use of travel nurses, even if it prefers to avoid them. “We’re not a big fan of travel nurses. I'm not on the road, I'm not on the frontline in emerg. I have confidence that the staff at Vitalité do the best that they can,” Dornan said. Mann, for his part, expressed understanding of the need for this measure, stating, “At the end of the day, we have to keep the ER open, so if this is the only way they can do it, I'm happy that the ER is open.”
Unanswered Questions and Ongoing Staffing Challenges
Vitalité Health Network has not disclosed the costs associated with employing travel nurses at the Campbellton Regional Hospital ER. Employees from other departments and zones had been involuntarily redeployed to Campbellton over the summer, but that practice ended following provincial direction. With continued training underway for new local recruits, travel nurses are expected to remain an integral part of the hospital’s operations in the near future.
Source: cbc.ca.
