Canadians have a labor problem. There are 848,000 job vacancies, according to a recent government report. A sector particularly affected by the shortage of personnel is the health sector and more particularly that of nursing. This is a very sensitive area and the consequences of the labor shortage are irritating the population: emergency rooms closed on weekends in Winnipeg, annoying patients in Montreal hospitals due to delays in care or a slow ambulatory system. …

Canadians have a labor problem. There are 848,000 job vacancies, according to a recent government report. A sector particularly affected by the shortage of personnel is the health sector and more particularly that of nursing. It’s a very sensitive sector and the consequences of the labor shortage are irritating the population: emergency rooms closed on weekends in Winnipeg, upset patients in Montreal hospitals because of delays in care or a slow ambulance system. in Ottawa because many vehicles have to line up waiting for someone to receive their patients are just some of the bloodiest examples.

It is common practice for nurses to work compulsory overtime. They also have a large number of patients under their care. “Stress and anxiety are very high. We are afraid of making mistakes with the people in our care,” wrote one of these workers from British Columbia on her social networks. In addition, some provincial governments categorically refuse a wage increase. In Ontario, the country’s most populous province, nurses have consistently demonstrated against a law — passed in 2019 — that limits salary increases to 1% per year for public servants.

It is therefore not surprising that many nursing professionals throw in the towel or take refuge in less precarious environments (for example, in private clinics); others think twice before entering the public network for the first time. A 2022 report from the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions found “a 219.8% increase in nursing vacancies since 2017.” Various provincial governments have launched initiatives to try to reduce the problem. Scholarships and greater reconciliation between staff and hospital administrators are among these tools. Also recruitment programs for nurses and nurses in other latitudes. However, this last measure is not without criticism. Some experts warn that recruitment efforts in Southeast Asia and West Africa risk weakening the health systems of less developed countries.

Meeting with Trudeau

A key element to stem this shortage is to improve working conditions, in particular by increasing wages and easing the workload (for example, by abolishing compulsory overtime). In February, the premiers met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss federal health care transfers. Currently, the provinces cover 78% of the budget and Ottawa the remaining 22%. Trudeau has offered some 31.7 billion euros for the next 10 years. The provincial premiers, with no real room for negotiation, reluctantly accepted the proposal. Health care in Canada, recognized around the world for its public, free and universal nature, faces daunting challenges. The shortage of nurses is one of the most serious, but upgrading facilities and hiring doctors are also pressing issues.

As if that were not enough, there is an x ​​file in the selection tests. In September 2022, only 51.4% of people taking the exam for the Order of Quebec Nurses for the first time had passed. In March of the same year, the rate was 71%, while in September 2021 it reached 81%. An investigation has been opened to find out what is going on.

Here you can consult the last Letters of the correspondent

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