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.
White Paper: Violence Against Nurses in Canada: An Urgent Call to Action This white paper outlines the dire reality of violence against nurses and health care workers in Canada. The paper details the known data on violence against nurses – from workers’ compensation claims to shocking survey data. The paper highlights the need to enforce […]
Read MoreWhite Paper: No Shortcuts to Patient Safety This white paper gathers research and data that outline the consequences of not treating nursing as the safety-critical workforce that it is. The paper includes detailed recommendations for provincial and territorial governments to improve health care working conditions and address the nursing shortage across Canada by respecting nursing […]
Read MoreHow 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, […]
Read MoreToday’s Nurse: What contemporary Canadian nurses need to stay in the workforce for the longevity of their career outlines the importance of protecting, engaging and respecting the current and future nursing workforce to improve retention and make nursing in Canada sustainable for the future. The report was authored by Dr. Kim McMillan, RN, PhD, CHPCN(C), […]
Read MoreInvesting in the future: Eliminating financial barriers for nursing students Investing in the future: Eliminating financial barriers for nursing students presents the case for why governments in Canada should invest in nursing students to support them through their academic journey. The report was authored by Eyasu Yakob, a past president of the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association […]
Read MoreBeyond Equity: Taking Action to Address Indigenous-Specific Racism in Nursing Beyond Equity: Taking Action to Address Indigenous-Specific Racism in Nursing is an educational resource to help advance the long overdue work on truth and reconciliation within the nursing and broader health care community in Canada. This discussion paper was authored by Dr. Liquaa Wazni and […]
Read MoreBolstering Pathways to Practice: Empowering Internationally Educated Nurses in Canada Bolstering Pathways to Practice: Empowering Internationally Educated Nurses in Canada outlines key recommendations to break down barriers for IENs living in Canada to practice nursing and excel within the profession. Despite the sacrifices IENs make to relocate their lives and families to Canada, only 42% […]
Read MoreNational nursing student survey summary report The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions and the Canadian Nursing Students’ Association collaborated on the country’s first national nursing student survey, aimed to better understand the challenges nursing students face and how we can work to address them. This survey delves into key issues in nursing education, such as […]
Read MoreEmpowering nurses, enhancing care: Lessons on safe staffing and nurse‑patient ratios from Ireland and the United Kingdom Current evidence report Nurses have long claimed that understaffing is one of the primary reasons they would consider leaving the profession. As recently as 2024, the CFNU reported that this was a primary reason 40% of members were […]
Read MoreNurse-Patient Ratios Nurse staffing has been a focal point of health care research and policy development for decades, recognized widely for its critical role in the quality and sustainability of health care systems. Despite repeated calls for change, inadequate staffing levels that are not based in evidence persist. Robust staffing models such as nurse-patient ratios […]
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