Start with the definition
A workforce headline is useful only when its population, year and measure are clear. CIHI distinguishes the overall supply of registered nurses from nurses employed in direct patient care. Those totals answer different questions. Record the measure alongside any number you place in a planning paper; do not describe national supply as the number of people available for your next shift.
Build a local picture
For your own planning discussion, assemble vacancies, requested hours, accepted assignments, cancellations and unfilled hours for a consistent reporting period. Separate role, location and time of day. Keep an agreed definition for each measure so a change in how records are counted is not mistaken for an improvement in coverage.
Use the evidence to ask better questions
Compare the local pattern with relevant provincial source material and the period it covers. A national increase does not show whether your location, role or shift pattern has enough people. Ask which bottleneck your proposed intervention addresses: recruiting, credential review, orientation, availability or acceptance. Give each proposed action an owner and a date for checking the result.
Sources and scope
Editorial approach and corrections