Nurses from across Canada gather in Charlottetown, raise awareness for ongoing staffing crisis
Over 1,000 nurses from across the country gather in Charlottetown this week to raise awareness of the ongoing staffing challenges in the healthcare industry.
“We don’t want to talk about nurses that are burnt out. We know that,” said Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions. “We need to fix the workplace. As I often say, ‘nurses’ love nursing, but they hate their job,’ and it is killing them.”
Silas points to ongoing staffing shortages as one of the leading causes.
Prince Edward Island has among the highest nurse vacancy rates in the country.
Barbara Brookins, Prince Edward Island Nurses Unions President said 24 per cent of RN and nurse practitioner positions are vacant, which adds up to nearly 300 empty jobs.
“Burnout is high, and the frustration is even higher, because it’s not getting any better,” said Brookins. “Any of the solutions, or Band-Aid solutions, that are going in place right now are not making a difference.”
Brookins said some nurses have stepped out of permanent roles to have more flexibility in their schedules, which compounds the broader staffing shortages.
Silas said there are many reasons why nurses cannot be recruited or retained.
“Sometimes it’s housing. Sometimes it’s a bigger salary,” said Silas. “Sometimes it’s saying I need every second weekend off, or every weekend off because I have young children.”
But that’s not all, there’s a more sinister problem festering below the surface.
“One thing that gets pushed aside when you start talking about shortages is the violence that some of us are experiencing in our workplaces,” said Brookins. “It’s been talked about for years but really nothing has been moving on that.”
Brookins said it’s not acceptable and they’re working to raise awareness of workplace violence for nurses and the public.
Right now with the conference attendees in P.E.I., there are about twice as many nurses as there normally are in the province.
The conference wraps up Friday with a major demonstration in downtown Charlottetown.
For more P.E.I. news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
B.C. tenants evicted for landlord's use after refusing large rent increase to take over neighbouring suite
Ashley Dickey and her mother rented part of the same Coquitlam duplex in three different decades under three different landlords.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment which has been banned at Queen’s Park.
Mountain guide dies after falling into a crevasse in Banff National Park
A man who fell into a crevasse while leading a backcountry ski group deep in the Canadian Rockies has died.
Body of Quebec man who died in Cuba found in Russia, family confirms
A Montreal-area family confirmed to CTV News that the body of their loved one who died while on vacation in Cuba is being repatriated to Canada after it was mistakenly sent to Russia.
Expert warns of food consumption habits amid rising prices
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Saskatchewan isn't remitting the carbon tax on home heating. Why isn't my province following suit?
After Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would still send Canada Carbon Rebate cheques to Saskatchewan residents, despite Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe's decision to stop collecting the carbon tax on natural gas or home heating, questions were raised about whether other provinces would follow suit. CTV News reached out across the country and here's what we found out.
Montreal actress calls Weinstein ruling 'discouraging' but not surprising
A Montreal actress, who has previously detailed incidents she had with disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, says a New York Court of Appeals decision overturning his 2020 rape conviction is 'discouraging' but not surprising.
RCMP officers had no legal authority to enter man's home, make arrest: B.C. court
A B.C. man has been found not guilty of assaulting two RCMP officers – with the court finding he was resisting an "unlawful entry and arrest" in his home before he was tasered, taken down and hauled away in handcuffs.
'Deep ignorance': Calls for Manitoba trustee to resign sparked after comments about Indigenous people and reconciliation
A rural Manitoba school trustee is facing calls to resign over comments he made about Indigenous people and residential schools earlier this week.