Staffing shortage means community not getting the care they need
SIMCOE, ON, Nov. 13, 2020 /CNW/ - Exhausted Public Health Nurses ? the registered nurses (RNs) from Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit ? will hold a protest today to alert residents that decisions made by the health unit's leadership team are putting the community at risk.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen, the RNs say they have been working short-staffed since it began, and the Board of Health has worsened the situation by cutting three full-time RN positions due to budget cuts earlier this year.
The RNs say the community is suffering the impact ? including the fact that non-RNs are conducting COVID-19 symptom assessments and monitoring, as well as the infectious disease work that should be performed by these registered nurses.
Haldimand Norfolk County has seen COVID-19 outbreaks in local long-term care homes, local farms and in the community. There are now eight RN vacancies at this health unit, and the community is being short-changed public health services as a result.
The RNs and other health unit staff will stand united in support of improvements to public health service delivery at the protest, to be held during their lunch break today, Friday, November 13 between 12:00 noon and 1 p.m.
ONA is the union representing more than 68,000 registered nurses and health-care professionals, as well as more than 18,000 nursing student affiliates, providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
WHAT: Public Health Nurses Protest
WHO: Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit Public Health Nurses
WHEN: 12 Gilbertson Drive at Queensway East, Simcoe, ON, Friday, November 13, noon to 1 pm
Visit: ona.org; www.facebook.com/OntarioNurses; www.twitter.com/ontarionurses www.Instagram.com/ontario.nurses
SOURCE Ontario Nurses' Association
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