The province is providing few details about a travel nurse program-only that conversations are happening.

The union and the government are currently working on an agreement, instead of paying a lot of money to private companies for the service, but according to Health Minister Michelle Thompson, it is still in the “very, very early stages.”

Thompson told reporters last week travel nurses are an important part of our health care system.

“We do need them in order to offer and expand services, but we want to responsibly and gradually reduce our reliance on them.”

She said she doesn’t think establishing a travel nurse program would fix our health care system.

“I don’t think that one particular approach is going to be the silver bullet that’s going to help us. As we’ve said before, we need to increase the supply of nurses.”

Thompson added, they’ve increased nursing seats up to 400 in the last three years and are looking at other opportunities as well.

“I always say, travel nurses are a double-edged sword, right? They’re very expensive and I understand that, and they also allow us to expand service to Nova Scotians. So, I do think it will be an important step for us.  Do what degree? I’m not sure.”

Nova Scotia wants to keep the workforce it has, according to Thompson, and Nova Scotia Health has a retention right now of 97 per cent.

However, she said, the government needs more.

“When new nurses come in, we also need to mentor them and support them. It’s a very complex job.”