For recent UWindsor nursing graduate Melissa Mastroianni (BScN 2024), enticing job opportunities know no boundaries — literally.

Mastroianni could have chosen to live in Windsor and work in Detroit, but opted to stay at the oncology unit at Windsor Regional Hospital before she graduated in May.

An “externship” that offers nursing students $20.60 an hour while providing hands-on experience introduced her to the department.

“I really fell in love with the environment on the oncology floor,” says Mastroianni. “There’s nurses that have worked there for 20 years and you can see that they’re still affected by what they do and that they care so much.”

The provincial government funds the externships as well as a $25,000 signing bonus — both measures aimed at reducing nursing vacancies. The programs have significantly lowered the nursing vacancy rate at Windsor Regional, from a high of 12.5 per cent in 2021 to 2.7 per cent by April 2024.

Employers from both sides of the border have considerable incentives for nursing professionals. Detroit hospitals offer competitive pay on a strong U.S. dollar, full-time positions, and flexible schedules; Windsor hospitals also offer signing bonuses, and much longer maternity leave policies.

The externship program, which became permanent in 2021, has helped to recruit and retain numerous nursing students. Additionally, the Community Commitment Program for Nurses has attracted both new graduates and experienced nurses from the U.S. by offering substantial bonuses for committing to full-time positions in Ontario.

While the allure of working in Detroit hospitals has inherent benefits, Windsor Regional has successfully leveraged the provincial programs to bolster its nursing staff, demonstrating a viable model for addressing nurse shortages in other Canadian hospitals in similar situations.

Read the full original news article in the Globe and Mail, “How a pair of provincial efforts helped stem Windsor’s nursing exodus,” by health reporter Kelly Grant.