A London intensive care nurse has raised concerns about staffing shortages at the region’s largest hospital, stating that even the most critically ill patients are receiving less attention than they need.
The nurse wishes to remain anonymous due to fears of repercussions at work.
“Someone needs to say something,” the ICU nurse said. “The pace at which things have gotten worse is scary.”
Two years ago, London Health Sciences Centre, which includes Victoria and University hospitals, began comparing its staffing levels with those in other areas of the province and found that their hiring was outstripping patient growth, according to hospital officials.
The hospital claims it isn’t laying off nurses and there’s no official hiring freeze, but they will be cutting 212 full-time registered nurse positions through retirements or voluntary departures while bringing on 108 registered practical nurses. Officials assert they’re hiring RNs as necessary.
“Over the past couple of months, we’re having more and more patients who are not appropriately assigned,” the ICU nurse shared. “We don’t have enough staff. There’s no time to care for the person.”
ICU patients are often very ill and typically require one-on-one monitoring, she noted. “They’re on external life support, on continuous dialysis, pumps that help the heart. We’ve had nurses who are (looking after two patients) and then a third because a nurse goes on break. That never should be happening.”
“It takes three months to train an ICU nurse, and we’ve had people go off on long-term disability, move to other jobs, leave for temporary roles or go on maternity leave. There’s such a backlog of positions that need filling. I leave every shift feeling drained, and it’s only going to get worse.”
Five months ago, the Ontario Nurses Association alerted everyone about plans to eliminate 288 registered nurse positions at Victoria and University hospitals-a number disputed by hospital management.
“Positions continue to be filled based on vacancies, patient care needs, and operational requirements. While vacancies may arise during normal turnover and recruitment processes, that does not mean positions are frozen or intentionally being left unfilled,” hospital officials stated in a recent announcement.
“We recognize the significant complexities experienced by nurses and members of our health-care team, particularly those caring for critically ill patients.”
However, union representatives describe the nursing shortage as “critical” with their members working under increasingly tough conditions.
“Nurses who work while their units are extremely short-staffed are suffering from increasing burnout, fatigue, physical and moral injury. Scientific studies have shown that patients face a higher risk of suffering complications and even death when cared for in situations where short-staffing occurs,” according to a union statement.
Hospital officials claim critical care staffing is reviewed daily as they work towards finding both immediate solutions as well as longer-term strategies for staffing issues.
Meanwhile,” said an ICU nurse who spoke anonymously; she expressed frustration over rising workloads along with an increase in part-time nurses replacing full-time roles.
“It’s hard not to feel very helpless,” she remarked.
The province asserts it is making “record investments” in healthcare as well as training new nurses.
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