Sask. auditor outlines ways to cut down on travel nurse usage

A hospital bed can be seen in this file photo. (CTV News)

The provincial auditor outlined ways Saskatchewan could more effectively use travel nurses in the health-care system.

According to the 2026 auditor’s report, the province has reduced its reliance on travel nurses, but there is still room for improvement.

Travel or contract nurses are those who work in temporary positions, often carrying out short-term and medium-term assignments in health-care organizations.

They’re often used to address staffing shortages, but the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) spending on travel nurses ballooned from $2.1 million to $98.8 million from 2019-2024.

In 2024-25, that number dropped to $75.8 million.

The auditor’s report suggested the creation of an internal SHA “float pool” of nurses to address staffing shortages and help curb the reliance on travel nurses.

• Download the CTV News app to get breaking news alerts sent to your device

Another recommended measure is analyzing how the reduction in travel nurses affects the amount of overtime worked by nurse employees.

The monthly average of hours worked by travel nurses in 2025-26 decreased by 54 per cent from 2023-24, while OT hours for nurse employees increased 26 per cent in the same time span.

The auditor said this increased the risk of employee burnout.

The auditor also advised the SHA to mitigate risks that could harm patient care by:

• Verifying completion of criminal record and vulnerable sector checks for all travel nurses.
• Documenting rationale for using travel nurses with prior performance issues.
• Mandating cultural sensitivity training for travel nurses.

“Confirming criminal record checks and requiring cultural sensitivity training for travel nurses can help the Saskatchewan Health Authority make sure it is providing safe, equitable care to all Saskatchewan patients,” said provincial auditor Tara Clemett on Wednesday.

A final recommended measure is having the SHA enforce its agreements with travel nurse staffing agencies by requiring timely invoicing.

“This may allow the Authority to report actual (rather than estimated) travel nurse usage and provide decision makers with more accurate and reliable information,” the report read.

“The estimated travel nurse costs for March 2025 ($4.4 million) were over 18 per cent higher than actual costs invoiced for March 2025 ($3.7 million).”