New nursing staff still undergoing training, certification: Vitalit\u00e9 CEO<\/p>\n
Published Jan 21, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 2\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Vitalit\u00e9 Health Network won\u2019t be weaned off costly travel nurses as promised by the end of February.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the e-Edition, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalism and the next generation of journalists.<\/p>\n SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the e-Edition, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalism and the next generation of journalists.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to keep reading.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite journalists.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authors<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Dr. France Desrosiers, president and CEO of Vitalit\u00e9, delivered the news at a board meeting Tuesday, citing ongoing staff training and certification as the reason behind missing the target.<\/p>\n Vitalit\u00e9 repeatedly committed to a February 2026 target in the aftermath of a 2024 auditor general\u2019s investigation<\/a> into the use of travel health-care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n Horizon ended its use of travel nurses in August 2024, but Vitalit\u00e9 indicated it needed until the winter of 2026 even after a provincial law was enacted in a bid to get the regional health authority out of a costly travel nurse contract.<\/p>\n Sixty-five travel nurses \u2013 down from a high of 200 \u2013 continue to work within the Vitalit\u00e9 health system, Desrosiers said at Tuesday\u2019s board meeting.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re moving in the right direction to not use many travel nurses, but there will still be a few, particularly for Restigouche and in the sectors that are most vulnerable such as the ER and intensive care at the regional hospitals,\u201d Desrosiers said in French at the meeting held in Campbellton.<\/p>\n Morning Email Telegraph-Journal<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Vitalit\u00e9 reported a $40-million deficit \u2013 with $27.6 million of that tied to travel nurse expenses \u2013 in the first two quarters of the 2025-26 fiscal year, the public heard Tuesday.<\/p>\n Desrosiers attributed the delayed elimination of travel nurses to newly hired staff still undergoing training and certification processes.<\/p>\n These new nurses are a mix of internationally and domestically trained health-care providers, according to deputy Vitalit\u00e9 CEO Patrick Parent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have the resources,\u201d Parent said in an interview. \u201cWe need to ensure that the transition certification is done in a responsible manner, so that explains why we will expand a little bit further beyond (the timeline).\u201d<\/p>\n Vitalit\u00e9 is now aiming to eliminate its use of travel nurses by September, Desrosiers told Brunswick News.<\/p>\n According to its latest quarterly report, Vitalit\u00e9 hired 62 registered nurses \u2013 less than half of its target of 140 \u2013 along with 36 new licensed practical nurses \u2013 well shy of its target of 70 \u2013 in the first six months of the 2025-26 fiscal year.<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n A single new nurse practitioner was also hired during that period.<\/p>\n Parent told Brunswick News that nurse recruitment remains a key challenge for the regional health authority, although he noted that its most recent data, which isn\u2019t reflected in the quarterly report, shows that \u201cwe are pacing to be very close to our targets by year end.\u201d<\/p>\n Vitalit\u00e9\u2019s \u2018weaning plan\u2019 started in 2023<\/p>\n Last June, Vitalit\u00e9 reported it had spent more than $200 million<\/a> on travel nurses since 2022. That included expenses through to the 2024-25 fiscal year, but it didn\u2019t count its ongoing use of travel nurses nor legal action it\u2019s now facing over contracts with Ontario-based firm Canadian Health Labs (CHL).<\/p>\n Last year, CHL launched three separate lawsuits<\/a> against Vitalit\u00e9, alleging the regional health authority had breached three separate travel health-care worker contracts signed by the parties back in 2022.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Vitalit\u00e9 has since lobbed the same accusation back at CHL in countersuits<\/a> filed with the Court of King\u2019s Bench.<\/p>\n None of the allegations have yet to be tested in court.<\/p>\n CHL filed its first lawsuit against Vitalit\u00e9 two days after the Holt Liberal government introduced legislation to prevent the company from suing the province.<\/p>\n![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0120-lb-vitalite-meeting.jpg\")
Dr. France Desrosiers, president and CEO of Vitalite Health Network, says the regional health authority won’t meet its February target to eliminate its use of travel nurses. SUBMITTED\/VITALITE HEALTH NETWORKArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Telegraph-Journal\"](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/20.4.0\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-tj.svg\"){kind=logo}
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