The union representing Canadian nurses is calling on Prime Minister David Eby to take bold action to address the shortage of nurses across the province.
This urgent appeal, written in the form of a letter to all Canadian Prime Ministers, calls for a coordinated strategy to finally address the crisis facing nurses.
The premiers will meet behind closed doors in Halifax on Sunday as part of a commitment made at the Federation Council meeting in Winnipeg in July to hold a health forum.
Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, says nurses can only endure unhealthy and unsafe conditions for so long, and speaks of the horror stories she hears from across the country.
“I heard a nurse saying there should be four nurses on her ward, but there is only one left,” she said. “Another nurse (is) the only permanent employee when all other nurses come from agencies; They’re just there for this day.”
Silas says hospitals across Canada are increasingly short-staffed when it comes to nurses, they are burned out and the country’s premiers need to take bold action.
Ultimately, she said, everyone has to come together to find a solution.
“There is no single province or territory that can solve the problem alone,” she said. “And that is the key that the prime ministers and health ministers recognize. They need to work together to share the best strategies.”
According to Statistics Canada, there are more than 43,000 open nursing positions across Canada.
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