A local Health Care organization is planning ahead to deal with any future human resources crisis.
The VON is working hard to recruit new staff and retain existing nurses and home care workers.
The President and CEO of VON Canada was in Owen Sound recently to address the local chapters annual general meeting and warns this is a world wide health care problem.
Doctor Judith Shamian says as the population ages, more and more nurses are retiring and that has resulted in a world wide shortage of health care providers of more than four million.
In addition she says the VON is facing an issue of Hospitals attracting away nurses with higher pay.
She says the challenge for the VON is to try and manage their human resources to they can continue to province health care to their clients.
The Executive Director of the Grey Bruce Branch of the VON Christine Villis Page says they have been very fortunate in recruiting new younger nurses.
She says the key to retaining these people is to provide them with good training and allow them to spend more time with their patients, and less time doing paper work.
Doctor Shamain says when it comes to volunteers, the VON is not seeking the level of burn out other organizations are experiencing.
She says just the opposite is happening as many people after seeing how the VON has helped a loved one, often offer up their services as a volunteer to show their gratitude.