Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services

IQALUIT (Aug 09/99) - After nearly a year of combatting a harsh shortage of nurses in communities around the Baffin region, officials employed by the health board say there is at long last a light at the end of the tunnel.

"We look good and we're going to look good for a while," said Marsha Duggan, the manager of patient care and services.

Responsible for overseeing nurses employed at the Iqaluit hospital, Duggan explained that with this summer's successful recruitment of 11 Australian nurses -- three of whom will work in Iqaluit with the remaining eight heading up island -- and the hiring of several Canadian-based health-care providers, residents could breathe a sigh of relief.

"When all of the new hires actually start work in September and October, at that point we'll only be down four (nurses)," said Duggan, adding that, at full complement, the Baffin Regional Hospital runs on a staff of 33 and will come in at 29 this fall barring unforeseen resignations.

Louise Fillatre, the community health manager, echoed Duggan's good news and said the cloud is also beginning to lift in the smaller settlements.

"I'm certainly feeling more comfortable with the numbers we have now. We were very short," said Fillatre.

While she noted that the board would actively and aggressively continue to recruit nurses to fill the seven positions that remain vacant, she said that at least part of the stress had been lifted off the shoulders of the community nurses.

"They have to do everything, plus they're on call on nights and on weekends. You never know when you're going to be called out or what you're going to be called out for."

As for why the shortage that continues to plague countries around the world is easing up in Iqaluit, the board's chief executive officer said part of the answer lies in hard work.

"I don't want to use the word windfall because it translates into the word luck. We worked at this, we orchestrated it and we're being far more strategic about how we spend our money and where we go recruiting," said Jarvis Hoult.

Until all of the new staff come on board, vacancies will continue to be filled by expensive short-term placements and by health-care providers who work long hours, but continue to band together.

"What's allowed this place to keep its head above water is the qualified and dedicated nurses we have. They admit they're tired, but they're still pulling together. I've seen an incredible sense of camaraderie among all the members of the team, not just the nurses," said Duggan.

Several of the newly- hired nurses were scheduled to arrive and begin work late last week.