Western Health says it is working diligently to fill health care position vacancies including RNs.

Registered nurses rallied in Corner Brook yesterday to call attention to mandated overtime. The RNU says the cost of overtime at one unit at Western Memorial Regional Hospital in May amounted to $300,000 dollars.

There have been 40 registered nursing vacancies at Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Corner Brook in November according to Interim Vice President of People, Quality and Safety at Western Health, Tina Edmonds.

She says they are working on a number of strategies to address nursing vacancies and support vacation time, including the use of agency nurses to help alleviate some of the workload and stress on existing staff.

She says travel nurses were hired over the summer to accommodate much-needed vacation time, and to help fill existing vacancies. The Health Authority is still making use of 18 travel agency nurses at this time.