In 2023, the CFNU released the Safe Hours Save Lives report. They emphasized that nurse fatigue and excessive working hours must be addressed with sufficient resources to create healthy, high-quality work environments and a truly functional healthcare system.

In 2025, SUN reported 1.2 million hours of overtime, equivalent to 618 FTE positions, were worked by SUN members to keep our healthcare system on life support in Saskatchewan.  This is an increase of 200,000 hours reported in 2023, even as the provincial reliance on travel nurses has now declined.

Significant pressures have been placed on SUN members within a more complex health system, resulting in concerns about growing burnout and fatigue and posing increased risks to patient safety.

Extended continuous work can produce unintended consequences, including cognitive fatigue, and potential negative outcomes from:

  • Slowed reaction time and delayed recognition,

  • Medication and omission errors,

  • Compromised critical thinking and problem-solving,

  • Errors of omission and failure to rescue, and

  • Loss of empathy and team communication.

What Members Need to Know:

  • Proactively identify patient care needs on every shift and speak with your Manager/designate to ensure adequate registered nurse staffing and provide recommendations.    

  • Have a discussion with your Manager/designate to find solutions to ensure safe care if you are experiencing fatigue from excessive work hours and/or workload.  

  • There is no professional regulatory standard, indicator, competency, or ethical responsibility that states registered nurses must stay beyond their scheduled shift due to known staffing deficiencies.  

  • Use low-level resolution when you identify potential professional practice, workload, and/or staffing concerns, and engage with your Manager/designate.

  • Notify your Manager that a Work Situation Report (WSR) will be completed and submit it immediately following the shift.

Whom to Contact

Local President/NAC Chairperson: Your Local President and NAC Chairperson are experts on your collective agreement and professional practice work environment.

Nurse Practice Officer: Your NPO at SUN Provincial is your professional practice representative assigned to Locals for support, advice, and assistance.

Regulatory Body: Your regulatory body (CRNS/CRPNS) is the regulatory expert mandated to protect the public. They can help interpret and apply minimum requirements and best practices in registered nursing practice.

Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS): Your regulatory body provides you with professional liability insurance through the CNPS. You can obtain confidential legal advice, review their publications on topics impacting professional practice, and complete continuing education through their monthly webinars.

Labour Relations Officer: Your LRO at SUN Provincial is your labour relations representative assigned to Locals to address member concerns and protect member interests using the collective agreement.

NPO/LRO local/network assignments can be found on the SUN website, or you can contact the SUN Provincial offices at: