Nurses concerned about ‘very unsafe situation’ at hospital

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This article was published 15/01/2019 (2179 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thirty-seven hemodialysis nurses have co-signed a letter about what they feel is a “very unsafe situation” for patients and themselves at St. Boniface Hospital.

The letter was sent Monday to the chief executive officers of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority and St. Boniface Hospital, as well as Manitoba Health Minister Cameron Friesen.

“We are writing due to concerns of being required to be on call for a completely different unit that we do not work on,” the hemodialysis nurses said, noting they are being asked to perform peritoneal dialysis clinical duties as well, for which they “have little to no formal training or experience.”

“We have repeatedly asked our manager and director for a meeting to allow us to discuss our concerns and to come to a consensus for a way to move forward in this situation. Up to this point, those request(s) have been ignored,” they wrote.

The nurses refused an interview request Tuesday, and asked their names not be published by media.

Friesen said he’s aware of the situation at St. Boniface and noted the WRHA is working on a solution.

“I understand that efforts have been made to resolve this concern they’re raising. But I can also tell you that the situation that they’re saying is arising is only arising in exceptional cases,” the minister said Tuesday.

“I’m aware that progress has been made. We’re not unsympathetic to the concerns being raised,” Friesen said. “We want everyone to be safe. We want people to be practising in their profession within their scope.

“And over time, of course, the broader challenge of the government is to make sure that we’ve got that ability within our system for professionals to deliver services that solve system problems. And we want to make sure that our practices here align with those in other jurisdictions.”

Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, said she is also monitoring the situation, and the union is working with the employer to ensure all nurses on call for peritoneal dialysis have the appropriate skills and training.

“Unfortunately, ongoing cuts and changes to health care in the WRHA are putting greater pressure on nurses at St. Boniface and across the WRHA. The pending closure of more emergency departments and other significant changes to health-care delivery will increase patient volumes in absorbing facilities,” Jackson said in a prepared statement.

“With diabetes rates on the rise in Manitoba, dialysis units are already facing a bed shortage and will require expanded capacity in order to meet this increasing demand.”

Within the past year, other groups of medical professionals — such as the nurses at St. Boniface’s neonatal intensive care unit and the Lifeflight doctors — have written to the PC government expressing serious health-care concerns. Their letters were later leaked to media.

Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew said the letter-writing trend is underscoring frustration in the medical system.

“Letter after letter, ultimatum after ultimatum is issued to (Premier Brian) Pallister. He doesn’t appear to be listening to the nurses nor to the doctors of this province. He’s only listening to the consultants who are telling them to cut,” Kinew said.

“We think that’s wrong. We think the government of Manitoba should put health care first.”

— with files from Larry Kusch

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu