Nurses cannot be blamed for Health Region deficits
The Calgary Health Region has been quoted in the press saying staffing overtime costs are leading to significant deficits. Health Region deficits and cost overruns are getting news attention across the province. Clearly however, nurses are not to blame for these costs.
As Calgary nurse Angela Krizan writes in a letter in the Calgary Herald: "The CHR [Calgary Health region] needs to shoulder responsibility for poorly addressing growing staff shortages that were predicted almost 10 years ago, but which it chose not to proactively manage for."
Heather Smith on Rutherford
UNA President Heather Smith addressed the deficits and the nursing shortage on the Dave Rutherford Radio Show on January 8, 2008.
"The greatest issue for nurses right now tends to be that despite their efforts to be part-time or casual, the demands -- on even full-time nurses -- to work above their desired Full Time Equivalent are huge. My understanding from surveying we did a year ago, on average about 45% of nurses in this province are called somewhere between two to four times a week to work extra shifts or overtime. Every week!" --Heather Smith RN.
Listen to the full 14 minute interview on MP3. Download 3.4 mb file here. |
