Allison Lampert, Anna Mehler Paperny

TORONTO/MONTREAL – Aimee was a Toronto emergency nurse during the outbreak of coronavirus. She quit her job last week. Aimee Earhart is now moving to Florida on a temporary basis, before she can get work as a travel nursing nurse. She hopes that her salary will double.

Earhart stated that “we’re just burned out all of the time.” Earhart said she would miss her coworkers and could have left if the working environment was better.

Canada’s hospital staffing problems have gotten worse due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Omicron virus.

A dozen former and current nurses were interviewed by the Health Care Workers Association. They revealed a system that was strained by a Pandemic Wave. This caused more COVID-19-related deaths than any other time in history. It also left staff feeling exhausted from two years of unending work.

Staff at hospitals have asked for overtime or to give up holidays.

Canadians are proud of their public healthcare system. Critics say that governments failed to invest enough in the system to protect it from the devastation of an enduring public health crisis for years. It could lead to a reduction in the capacity of health systems if healthcare workers quit and cannot be replaced. This is due to backlogs in training and certification, wages that are too low or perceived as a harsh profession.

Statistics Canada reports that job openings in Canada’s healthcare and social assistance sectors increased by 78% in the 3rd quarter of 2019, compared to the 3rd quarter of 2021.

The Ontario government has been criticized for limiting the salary of certain public workers, such as nurses before the pandemic. It stated in a statement that it had added 6,700 staff and health care workers since then and plans to increase this number by another 6,000 by March. The government did not specify whether it was a net increase.

“I JUST DID’T HAVE MORE TO GIVE”

Lindsay Peltsch (NYSE:) Peltsch realized she needed to stop bathing her patients.

It was still something I did, but it didn’t give me the same satisfaction,” she stated. Although it seems minor, this is an important part of our work because the dignity of people is so vital.

Peltsch spent 12 years working as a pediatrician, with 10 of those at SickKids Hospital in Toronto. After falling in love with nursing, the stress became too great for her.

The rarity of fully-staffed shifts has made them rare. On one of her final ER shifts, there were 10 nurses left. There is also an absence of respect for her profession.

“I reached a place where I didn’t feel like giving anymore.”

SickKids spokeswoman stated that although the hospital has faced challenges with staffing, it was unaware of critical care unit shifts having 10 nursing shortages.

Praveen Nakesvaran, along with his colleagues as respiratory therapists at Humber River Hospital, have assumed the roles of nurses in the care of COVID-19 patients. They have rolled them gingerly on their stomachs, tubes included, to improve lung function.

Nakesvaran explained that they are usually at the end of the bed, making sure the tube remains secure. “Now, we are kind of taking on the nursing duties.”

Suzi Laj is the ICU manager and says morale has been a concern. She has attempted to resolve it by everything, from daily huddles to inviting chaplaincy personnel. They “try to keep them optimistic and, you know…support them… but they really are wearing their resilience,” she stated.

Omicron’s peak could be nearing in Canada according public health experts. Ontario also announced last week plans to ease restrictions. However, the current health worker shortage remains.

Some provinces allow their health workers to quickly return to work after being tested positive for COVID-19. Ontario has opened its doors to internationally qualified nurses who face long waiting periods and often have to overcome hurdles to be able to practice here in Canada.

Manitoba has, however, indicated that it would send hundreds of North Dakota patients for procedures, as its facilities are not large enough.

“WE’RE NOT ASKING FOR EASIER JOB”

According to Reuters, one Montreal ER nurse was struck with laryngitis after she worked a shift. She felt torn between going to work and helping her coworkers or returning home and waiting for COVID-19 results.

She spoke anonymously because of fear of reprisals. The young nurse said that she was motivated to work her shift as her coworkers needed it so much.

“It was really more guilt-than anything,” she stated.

“It feels like you’re abandoning those who work in really hard places.”

Doris Grinspun is the CEO of Registered Nurses Association of Ontario. She receives calls every day from nurses in the province asking how she will handle it. “All of the hospitals are scrambling.”

This translates to, she explained, “unsafe care.”

Peltsch tells her coworkers that they aren’t coming back when she speaks to them. … A resilient group of people is starting to crumble,” she said.

We aren’t asking for an easier job. “We are asking for the ability to safely do the difficult job that we have signed up to.”