July 3, 2024

Nova Scotia Offers Free Tuition to Paramedics and Emergency Responders

Nova Scotia has announced a program to provide free tuition for paramedics and emergency response workers, benefiting over 460 individuals. Paramedics must commit to working in the province for four years, while emergency medical responders must work for two years.

"This is an investment in people who want to save lives. It's an opportunity for them to learn and work in their communities and for our province to increase the number of skilled paramedics and emergency medical responders," said Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson. "As our population grows, so too will our demand for emergency health services. We must be proactive now and use every tool at our disposal to increase the number of people on the ground who can respond to an emergency."

The province has allocated $1.9 million to cover the tuition fees for about 80 emergency medical responders and $3.5 million for 150 new primary care paramedics. Additionally, $1.35 million has been invested in approximately 135 primary care paramedics who are currently in training or are recent graduates, with their tuition already covered by the province in exchange for three years of service. The provincial government will cover the other half of their tuition for an additional year of service.

Currently, there are 14 emergency medical responders and 692 primary care paramedics working in Nova Scotia, according to the government.

"This new bursary will undoubtedly remove additional barriers for anyone interested in joining this great profession. There has never been a better time to become a paramedic in Nova Scotia," said Doug Allen, paramedic and paramedic recruiter at Emergency Medical Care.

Recruitment and Retention Efforts in Other Provinces
Earlier this year, Manitoba sought feedback from healthcare workers to improve its healthcare system. Meanwhile, Newfoundland and Labrador reinstated its recruitment and retention incentive for retired registered nurses and nurse practitioners wishing to return to work or currently employed by local health services.

Eligible retired registered nurses and nurse practitioners who meet license requirements can receive reimbursement for license-related fees up to $500 with a service commitment of 390 hours per year. This incentive is available until March 31, 2025, with a $10 million allocation for this initiative.

The Newfoundland and Labrador incentive, introduced in 2022 following a Nursing Think Tank, aims to address the challenges faced by the nursing profession. Since its launch, about 230 retired nurses have returned to the workforce using the incentive.

"We made a commitment to help address the workplace challenges faced by our nursing community. Our incentives and signing bonuses are helping to alleviate the pressures in our province's healthcare system, as we continue to improve healthcare delivery in the province," said Health and Community Services Minister Tom Osborne.