The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses is calling on the provincial government to set up a task force to look into chronic staffing shortages.

83 percent of nurses say there is an unfilled temporary or permanent job at their place of work.

SUN First Vice President Denise Dick says the task force would include government, employers, nurses and other stakeholders

She says that group would then make recommendations to improve the situation, made worse by COVID.

In a recent survey, 83 percent of nurses say there is a permanent or temporary job opening where they work.

SUN says nurses are burning out with long weeks of overtime with no break.

The provincial government has yet to respond to the request from SUN.