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Research

Relying on the experience of frontline nurses, the CFNU works with experts, academics and other health care stakeholders to produce evidence-based research and resources on current health care issues. CFNU’s research has focused on the need for a national pharmacare plan, the importance of safe staffing, health care financing, safe seniors’ care, intergenerational issues in the workplace and occupational health and safety issues.

The CFNU transforms research into policy and practice by advocating for evidence-based changes at the federal level and provincial level at the Council of the Federation.

CFNU’s research products include groundbreaking research reports, backgrounders, fact sheets and position statements.

Safe Hours Save Lives!
Study on safe working hours for nurses

Safe Hours Save Lives! Study on safe working hours for nurses Safe Hours Saves Lives delivers a critical examination of escalating burnout among Canadian nurses due to excessive work hours. This report underscores the dramatic increase in overtime and its impact on nurse well-being and patient safety. It draws upon data and expert insights to […]

2023 CFNU Member Survey Summary Report

2023 CFNU Member Survey Report Learn what nurses are saying about their work life in our health care system, based on a survey of nearly 5,000 nurses from across the country. Download the report

Sustaining Nursing in Canada: a set of coordinated evidence-based solutions targeted to support the nursing workforce now and into the future

Sustaining Nursing in Canada proposes a set of concrete actionable solutions to help meaningfully solve the health care staffing crisis. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions worked with the Canadian Health Workforce Network to present in this report the magnitude of the nursing crisis and the known solutions to address it. Authored by University of […]

September 23, 2024

Opening the black box: Unpacking the use of nursing agencies in Canada

Opening the black box: Unpacking the use of nursing agencies in Canada Opening the black box: Unpacking the use of nursing agencies in Canada sheds light on the growing use of for-profit nursing agencies across the country. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions worked with Queen’s University to conduct the mixed methods study, led by […]

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January 11, 2024

Safe Hours Save Lives!
Study on safe working hours for nurses

Safe Hours Save Lives! Study on safe working hours for nurses Safe Hours Saves Lives delivers a critical examination of escalating burnout among Canadian nurses due to excessive work hours. This report underscores the dramatic increase in overtime and its impact on nurse well-being and patient safety. It draws upon data and expert insights to […]

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January 6, 2024

Equity Toolkit

The CFNU released a compelling video series in 2023 that showcases the experiences and advocacy efforts of nurses in Canada regarding workplace equity. This series highlights the challenges and triumphs of a group of nurses who are fervently pushing for equity in the health care system. Watch the full series here.    Creating a more […]

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November 2, 2023

Nurse Contracts Across Canada

How do nurses’ collective agreements compare across the country? The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions compiles this annual review of key nursing contract provisions across Canada, including nurses’ salaries and other negotiated benefits by province. Salary is often taken as the sole measure of the worth of an agreement. However, this can be greatly misleading, […]

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March 23, 2023

2023 CFNU Member Survey Summary Report

2023 CFNU Member Survey Report Learn what nurses are saying about their work life in our health care system, based on a survey of nearly 5,000 nurses from across the country. Download the report

Read More
December 13, 2022

Sustaining Nursing in Canada: a set of coordinated evidence-based solutions targeted to support the nursing workforce now and into the future

Sustaining Nursing in Canada proposes a set of concrete actionable solutions to help meaningfully solve the health care staffing crisis. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions worked with the Canadian Health Workforce Network to present in this report the magnitude of the nursing crisis and the known solutions to address it. Authored by University of […]

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June 9, 2021
covid-19 Equity

Canada Beyond COVID Magazine

In Canada Beyond COVID, the CFNU looks at the Canadians who fell through the cracks during the pandemic: seniors, nurses, migrant workers, Indigenous Peoples, racialized people, the working poor, the trans community, and others. As we look to rebuild our economy – as we look towards a post-COVID Canada – we must ensure that no […]

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December 7, 2020

Outlook on Nursing: A snapshot from Canadian nurses on work environments pre-COVID-19

Outlook on Nursing: A snapshot from Canadian nurses on work environments pre-COVID-19 was conducted by Linda McGillis Hall, PhD, RN and Sanja Visekruna, PhD, RN at the University of Toronto. It was a national survey that aimed to assess Canadian nurses’ perceptions of their work environments. The study was conducted across all health care sectors, […]

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October 5, 2020
coronavirus covid-19

Investigation: How Canada failed health workers and mismanaged COVID-19

An investigation into Canada’s management of COVID-19 and the safety of the nation’s health care workers has been released. The investigation’s report, A Time of Fear, details Canada’s systemic preventable failure to adequately prepare and urgently respond to the gravest public health emergency in a century. The independent investigation was commissioned by the Canadian Federation of […]

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June 16, 2020

Mental Disorder Symptoms Among Nurses in Canada

This is the first Canada-wide assessment of post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) among nurses, commissioned by CFNU. Nurses are often required to respond to high-stress situations as a regular part of their work, and some of these high-stress situations may occur repeatedly and be traumatic. These types of stressors can have a cumulative effect, wearing down […]

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