'It's non-stop': Medical association says health-care worker burnout has doubled since pandemic
Elinor Kelly doesn't shy away from challenges.
As the lead clinical nurse in a critical care and burn unit, she runs toward them. But the pandemic has piled on problems — from an increase in trauma patients to COVID-19 patients.
“It's non-stop so you go from COVID to the traumas. It's never a bit of a break. It used to be you had quietness, but you don't anymore,” Kelly said.
“The patients aren’t stopping. And I think because there was such a shutdown for so long, people got sicker.”
Kelly has been a nurse for 27 years. She still loves her job, and finds her management team and organization supportive, but like many health professionals, she’s tired.
Dr. Katharine Smart, president of the Canadian Medical Association, said the rate of burnout is double what it was pre-pandemic.
“Our health-care system is at a level of crisis we've never really seen and the health workers are in a state of crisis we've never seen,” said Smart.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA), Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) and the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC), have developed health human resources solutions designed to rebuild Canada’s health-care workforce.
In the next six months, the groups want Ottawa and the provinces to create retention incentives for health-care workers -- options like retention bonuses, tax incentives or loan forgiveness for new graduates.
The CMA, CAN and CFPC also want to see more mental health supports for workers and to find ways to trim time spent on paperwork.
“Removing the administrative burden that nurses and other health-care workers have, where they're doing administrative tasks instead of actual nursing care, would make a difference,” said Tim Guest, CEO of the Canadian Nurses Association.
The groups also want provinces to build on virtual care models, invest in new training for doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners, and support internationally trained professionals to get licensed in Canada.
In the long-term, they want to see a pan-Canadian mental health plan for health-care workers and better data collection across health systems to support creating a health human resource plan for Canada.
“What health-care professionals do we need, and where do we need them?” Smart said. “I think a lot of Canadians would be surprised to know that information doesn’t exist right now.”
During National Nurses week last week, Kelly felt her colleagues were acknowledged and recognized. She believes the secret to attracting and retaining people is about more than money, but it helps.
“How do we retain workers? Probably a raise,” Kelly said. “Probably a decent one. I think that's going to have to help. Especially for critical care nurses because critical care, we have a lot of people that we train and recruit, but after a year or so they can go work privately at triple the amount of money I’m making after 27 years.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.