Opposition seeks supports to end nursing shortage

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This article was published 06/12/2021 (1455 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, surging cases and hospitalizations are straining already burned out nurses, with many asking what the provincial government is doing to help fix gaping holes in medical care.

The Provincial Conservatives and new Premier Heather Stefanson promised in the throne speech they are going ahead with plans to add 400 more seats to train nurses around the province. They also introduced a new undergraduate nurse employee program in mid-November that would allow third- and fourth-year students to begin working in clinical settings, earn wages and learn directly from experienced nursing staff.

This is on top of the $812-million investment in health-care facilities across the province the Conservatives have already said they are going ahead with. That includes $70 million for health services in Brandon.

Leaders of both opposition parties, however, say it is merely the Conservatives trying to fix the problems it has created.

Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew said he has heard from countless nurses and other medical staff on a constant basis they are burning out and being forced to leave, either retire early, outright quit or seek work elsewhere in the profession or another jurisdiction.

“New facilities are great, but they need staff and nurses in them to run,” he said.

Then there’s the numerous closures of emergency rooms and beds due to staffing shortages.

In documents obtained by the Manitoba NDP under The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, a funding letter from the office of the deputy minister of Health and Seniors Care to rural regional health authorities stamped July 30 of this year shows the government demanded millions in budget cuts to staffing funds as part of a strategic and operational plan implemented in the last fiscal year. The plan requested each regional health authority to find “strategies to balance” that included “vacancy management, voluntary unpaid days and holding vacant positions open.”

These measures led to a $2.8-million budget cut in the Prairie Mountain Health region. Kinew stated that PMH and many others are at the centre of a nursing shortage crisis that has created burnout among health workers and forced vulnerable patients to be transferred to other facilities for care hours away from their family and home.

As of September, PMH had a 25 per cent vacancy rate for licensed practical nurses and a 20 per cent vacancy rate of registered nurses.

Kinew said he has reached out many times to nurses and says the story is the same: they believe they are not being respected or treated as people. Many of them have been heading to private nursing agencies for a better work-life balance.

The province has been procuring the services of agencies. While not unusual, the amount has increased. Documents obtained by the NDP listed from January to September of this year, the PCs spent $10.5 million on agency nurses in Prairie Mountain Health.

Money that could’ve been going to the surgeries and diagnostics is going to for-profit health care, Kinew said.

In several locations, such as Brandon Regional Health Centre, $2,590.13 was spent on agency nurses. In comparison, Neepawa District Memorial, has been spending thousands monthly, with the highest recorded being $61,572.24 for June.

Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said he has received many calls from nurses who have quit because they are burning out over scheduling around shortages and are very worried they could harm or kill a patient.

He keeps hearing repeatedly from nurses they need supports.

It doesn’t surprise him when he sees regional health authorities are being told to cut spending and hold vacancies.

“Regional health authorities have been told to hold spending to look good,” Lamont said.

He stressed the Conservatives under former premier Brian Pallister were warned multiple times to not cut staff or services or close emergency rooms in rural areas.

There are some things the government could be implementing right now, he said, like ending the faculty strike at the University of Manitoba because it graduates hundreds of nurses every year.

“The fact that is being held up is a direct roadblock to the nursing shortage,” he said.

The other would be to cover burnout under the Worker’s Compensation Board. Currently, people can get coverage for a single traumatic event at work. But the pandemic has been a long series of traumatic events, there is nothing there for them long-term, so they believe they have no choice but to quit, he explained.

It could stop nurses on the verge of leaving and help entice nurses who have left to return.

A spokesperson for Prairie Mountain Health stated in an email that the shortage issue is happening across Canada, so Manitoba isn’t unique.

They stated Prairie Mountain Health worked with Manitoba Health & Seniors Care to look for opportunities to find savings within the health system. The strategies of vacancy management, voluntary unpaid days and holding vacant positions open were applied to non-union, non-front-line staff. Front-line staff —like nurses and health-care aides — were not impacted by these strategies. 

To recruit and attract nursing staff, they listed a comprehensive plan to help attract and retain nurses. This includes career fairs and presentations at schools and community events. In addition to this, several recruitment presentations were conducted, both virtually and in person, to various student groups and organizations to share employment opportunities throughout the region. Prairie Mountain Health is a member of local university and college advisory committees where regular discussion occurs related to the health programs delivered.

There are also practicums, where students continue to complete clinical experiences throughout facilities. Living space is available in Dauphin and Brandon free of charge for students, but a student must be completing a practicum in the region to qualify.

New graduates have the opportunity to apply into grad nurse mentorship positions or vacant nursing opportunities. Prairie Mountain Health works with student groups to ensure they are aware of open positions.

There is also their Home for the Summer program and summer employment opportunities. This allows post-secondary students to find summer employment while fulfilling project-driven work identified by PMH. The summer program provides students with experience and exposure to the health system.

For example, the 2019 Home for the Summer Program saw a total of 10 students throughout mental health, public health, pharmacy, health information services and therapy services and four students in medicine. In 2020, six students worked in PMH in health information services, mental health and therapy services, while four students were in Medicine. In 2021, 12 students worked in various departments throughout the region.

Students in health-related programs of study are invited to apply for open positions in PMH. Nursing students often work as health-care aides in full-time, part-time or casual positions. Students in non-health-related programs and high school students can apply for entry level positions in departments such as housekeeping, laundry, activities and maintenance.

Prairie Mountain Health has been involved in three Rural International Educated Nurse (IEN) registered nurse initiatives. The IEN registered nurse initiative has students completing the Red River College Bridging Program followed by clinical exposure in the region. After obtaining a licence as a registered nurse, the new nurses are hired by PMH.

In 2015-16, there were eight students in the program, 20 students in 2017-2018 and 10 in 2019-20.

Prairie Mountain Health is constantly advertising for new jobs. It uses social media platforms, along with websites such as Indeed to advertise career opportunities. Consideration is given to recruit to classifications. At times, PMH will utilize the local newspapers to publish career ads. University and college websites that allow for advertising are also considered. Some licensing bodies and associations related specifically to health careers also allow advertising of related positions, so time is spent developing ads to be placed on these websites for their members to view.

PMH offers a financial incentive to stay in the region. The Nurse Recruitment & Retention Fund (NRRF) offers a conditional grant of $4,000 to new graduates who obtain a 0.6 permanent or term position or higher, often called an EFT, in a rural health facility, and commit to work for 12 months.

The fund offers a personal care home grant of $2,000 to nurses pursuing a 0.6 EFT or higher in a long-term care facility in Manitoba, and commit to work for 12 months.

Details about the two grants can be found at gov.mb.ca/health/nurses/

However, if an applicant has obtained the NRRF Conditional Grant, they are not eligible for the PMH Conditional Grant.

Relocation assistance can be offered to those moving to Prairie Mountain Health, but a return of service commitment is required.

» kmckinley@brandonsun.com