(plus: how big are the U.S. staffing and health-care sectors, and is CPR training necessary for nurses — with notes on “CPR Certification Regina”)
Finding the right staffing partner for health care is different from hiring a generic temp agency. Health-care placements demand clinical competence, licensing verification, compliance with regulations, and a recruiting pipeline that understands medical roles from CNAs to nurse practitioners. Below is a practical guide you can use to find a specialist health-care staffing firm, followed by a concise overview of the size of the U.S. staffing industry and the health-care sector, and finally a plain answer about CPR for nurses — including where people in Regina can get certified.
1) How to find a staffing firm that specializes in health care
Start with role clarity
Write a short brief describing the roles you need, the setting (hospital, long-term care, clinic, home care), the shift patterns, and the mandatory credentials (state/province licenses, immunizations, background checks, mandatory training). Having these details upfront lets you screen firms quickly.
Look for sector experience and depth
Don’t hire a generalist. Ask candidates whether the firm places nurses and allied health professionals in the exact environment you operate in (e.g., acute care ICU vs. long-term care). A true specialist will have:
Dedicated teams for nursing, allied health, and clinical leadership placements.
Repeat clients in hospitals or healthcare networks.
Case studies or references from similar facilities.
Verify credentialing and compliance practices
Health care staffing must include verification of licenses, criminal background checks, immunization records, and up-to-date clinical training (BLS/ACLS, etc.). Ask:
Do you do in-house credential verification or use a third-party vendor?
How frequently are credentials re-checked?
How do you handle scope-of-practice and state/provincial licensing differences?
Ask about clinical onboarding and training
Good firms provide orientation tailored to the setting and may offer competency testing (medication administration checks, IV competency, EHR training) before placing a candidate. This reduces risk and shortens ramp-up time.
Assess recruitment pipelines and candidate quality
Ask where they source clinicians, their screening filters (clinical interviews, reference checks), and average tenure of placed clinicians. Firms specializing in health care usually maintain relationships with nursing schools, clinical networks, and passive candidate pools.
Pricing, guarantees and workforce flexibility
Compare fee models (markup vs. hourly billing), overtime handling, and replacement guarantees (how quickly they will replace a clinician who doesn’t work out). Make sure contractual responsibilities around malpractice insurance and liability are explicit.
Tech, reporting and partnership capabilities
Look for platforms that provide real-time scheduling, timekeeping, and compliance dashboards. A partner that shares utilization, cost, and quality metrics (e.g., fill rates, candidate retention, client satisfaction) becomes an extension of your workforce strategy.
Do a short pilot
Run a limited pilot placement (one unit or a short contract) to evaluate fit, responsiveness, and clinical competence before committing to a larger partnership.
2) How big is the U.S. staffing industry?
The U.S. staffing industry is large and has fluctuated with economic cycles and labor demand. Some key facts to anchor your expectations:
In 2023, U.S. temporary and contract staffing sales (the core of staffing industry revenue) were reported around the low-hundreds of billions of dollars. The American Staffing Association reports that staffing companies hired roughly 12.7 million temporary and contract employees over the course of 2023 and that temporary/contract staffing sales numbered in the hundreds of billions.
American Staffing Association
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Industry forecasts vary by source and timing: some industry analysts projected the U.S. staffing market to be worth about $200+ billion in 2024 under certain scenarios, while others projected modest contractions depending on macroeconomic conditions. The Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) and specialist market reports have produced differing short-term forecasts (growth vs. small decline) as demand and business hiring plans shifted.
PGC Group
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Staffing employment levels are also a significant measure: U.S. staffing companies employed an average of about 2.2 million temporary and contract workers per week in late 2024, showing the industry’s role in overall workforce flexibility.
American Staffing Association
Bottom line: expect a national staffing market measured in the low hundreds of billions of dollars annually, with weekly placements of millions of workers; precise year-to-year figures vary with economic cycles and the data source. Use recent ASA/SIA reports to get the most current dollar amounts for the year you care about.
American Staffing Association
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3) How large is the U.S. health-care sector?
Health care is one of the biggest parts of the U.S. economy by spending and employment.
Spending (national health expenditure): U.S. national health spending reached roughly $4.8–$5.3 trillion in recent years (CMS data covering 2023–2024 shows spending around $4.9 trillion for 2023 with further growth in 2024 hitting over $5 trillion in some estimates). Health spending accounted for roughly 17–18% of GDP in 2023, with projections putting that share higher over the coming decade.
CMS
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Reuters
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Employment: Health care is the largest employment sector in the U.S., employing over 17 million people (2023 HRSA/Bureau of Health Workforce reporting), spanning nurses, physicians, allied health professionals, administrative staff, and support roles.
Bureau of Health Workforce
Trends to watch: Aging population, chronic disease prevalence, and technology (telehealth, AI, outpatient migration) are driving sustained growth in spending and workforce demand. That’s why health-care staffing remains a critical and growing niche for specialized agencies.
What those numbers mean for staffing: Because health care is vast (trillions in spending; millions employed), the staffing portion that focuses on clinical and support staff is a sizable and resilient market — and your staffing partner’s health-care specialization matters for quality and compliance.
4) Is CPR important for nurses? (Short, evidence-based answer)
Yes — absolutely. CPR (and related basic/advanced life support training) is essential for nurses for these reasons:
CPR is a core element of the “Chain of Survival”: early high-quality CPR dramatically improves the chance of survival after cardiac arrest. Clinically trained staff who can perform high-quality compressions, ventilations, and use an AED properly are essential in acute and non-acute settings alike.
cpr.heart.org
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Nurses are often first responders in hospital settings and in many community encounters; they need both cognitive knowledge and psychomotor competence. Research shows skill degradation occurs over time and that regular refreshers improve retention of CPR skills. That’s why most employers and regulatory bodies require periodic recertification (BLS/CPR), and many clinical programs require Healthcare Provider CPR/BLS certification.
PMC
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For advanced practice or cardiac units, higher-level certifications (ACLS, PALS, Neonatal Resuscitation Program) are commonly required.
In short: CPR is essential, routinely required, and should be refreshed on a schedule consistent with employer and certifying-body guidelines.
5) “CPR Certification Regina” — practical notes for nurses and employers in Regina
If you (or your staff) are in Regina and searching for “CPR Certification Regina,” there are multiple nationally recognized providers with locally offered courses:
St. John Ambulance, the Canadian Red Cross, and Heart & Stroke Foundation (Heart & Stroke) all provide CPR and first-aid courses in Saskatchewan and Regina specifically. These courses typically offer BLS/Healthcare Provider (HCP) levels, workplace-compliant first aid, and recertification options.
St. John Ambulance
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Canadian Red Cross
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Local training providers and training partners (e.g., FirstAidRegina, Coast2Coast First Aid & Aquatics) offer flexible course formats (in-class, blended learning, recertification) and commonly run the Canadian Red Cross or Heart & Stroke curricula that meet Saskatchewan Occupational Health & Safety requirements. Course validity and renewal intervals differ — basic CPR/First Aid certificates commonly last 1–3 years depending on the course.
First Aid Regina
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If you are a nursing student or a health-care facility in Regina, check university or employer requirements: some academic programs or hospitals require specific in-person skill components (e.g., BVM use, two-person CPR, AED competency) and insist on certifications from Canadian accredited organizations. For example, University of Saskatchewan and affiliated clinics specify that CPR certification must include an in-person skills assessment. Make sure your chosen course meets your employer’s credentialing checklist.
medicine
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6) Actionable checklist (quick)
For organizations hiring a health-care staffing firm:
Confirm clinical specialties the firm covers and ask for client references in similar settings.
Verify their credentialing, license verification, and malpractice insurance policies in writing.
Ask about onboarding/competency testing and who pays for mandatory trainings/certifications.
Request pilot placements and performance metrics (fill rate, retention, time-to-fill).
Get clear SLAs for replacements and incident handling.
For nurses or clinics in Regina needing CPR:
Choose an accredited provider (St. John Ambulance, Canadian Red Cross, Heart & Stroke, or certified local partner).
Confirm course level required by your employer (HCP/BLS vs. basic CPR).
Ask whether the course includes an in-person skills assessment and find recertification timelines.
Closing thoughts
Choosing the right health care staffing partner is a strategic decision that directly impacts patient care, staff satisfaction, and operational efficiency. Working with a specialized nurse staffing agency ensures access to qualified, credentialed professionals who understand the clinical environment and regulatory requirements of the health care sector. As the U.S. health care industry continues to grow and staffing shortages persist, partnering with an experienced nurse staffing agency can help hospitals, clinics, and long-term care facilities maintain consistent, high-quality care.
At the same time, investing in essential training such as CPR certification for nurses is critical. Whether you are a health care employer or a nursing professional seeking CPR Certification in Regina, staying compliant with training standards strengthens workplace safety and improves patient outcomes. When skilled clinical staffing and proper training come together, health care organizations are better equipped to meet today’s challenges and tomorrow’s demands