Manitoba’s Provincial Travel Nurse Team: A Unique Staffing Model for Nurses

The growing demand in providing healthcare services combined with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare staffing has created a situation where the supply of available nurses is not keeping up with the demand with increasing competition for limited resources. Rural and remote locations face unique challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled staff. Manitoba's Provincial Travel Nurse Team (PTNT) was created as an alternative staffing model with flexible employment options to retain nurses in the public health system. The PTNT's early success has demonstrated that this model can supplement current site staffing models and provide a unique alternative to agency nursing staffing.