Report paints stark picture of Ontario’s nursing crisis
Instability in nursing, and its profound impact on the profession, the effective functioning of the health system, and the quality of care Ontarians receive was the focus of RNAO’s Nursing Through Crisis: A Comparative Perspective report, released during Nursing Week 2022. Ontario continues to lag behind other provinces with the lowest RN-to-population ratio (688 RNs per 100,000 people) compared to the national average (823 RNs per 100,000 people). This troubling nursing shortage has left vital health-care services in all sectors significantly understaffed. “There are shortages everywhere. We see significant shortages in some of our urban areas in their ICUs and emergency departments,” says then RNAO President Morgan Hoffarth.* There are also shortages in long-term care and community health care, Hoffarth notes. The emotional demands on nursing staff have been significantly exacerbated during the pandemic with patients’ support systems (family and/or others) prohibited from entering hospitals during lock-downs, and limitations on nurses who have been stretched too thin. Among the key recommendations contained in the Nursing Through Crisis report, Hoffarth highlights the need to remove barriers so internationally-educated nurses residing already in Canada can practise. She also noted that an acceleration of bridging programs for RPNs to become RNs and PSWs to become RPNs or RNs will help to solve the crisis. (900 CHML in Hamilton, May 20)
*On June 10, 2022, Morgan Hoffarth completed her term as president and became immediate past president for RNAO.
Mask mandates lifted but Bill 124 remains
On June 11, the province lifted mask mandates for hospitals and public transit. Although masks are still required in long-term care and retirement homes, RNAO shared its view with the media that Ontarians need to continue to think “we” as opposed to “me” when it comes to masking up. “We have to understand as a community that COVID is not over,” RNAO President Dr. Claudette Holloway says. Many hospitals across the province have decided to keep their mask mandates in place. “Infections are happening and we need to do the best we can to protect everyone in our society,” says Holloway. COVID numbers need to be lower before mandates are removed, she adds. Holloway notes that COVID cases put strain on the health-care system and the already overworked nurses in it. Nurses are already exhausted and need some reprieve to prepare for what’s next, she suggests. When asked about nurse morale after more than two years of the pandemic, Holloway adds: “Nurses are the backbone of the health-care system and we’re willing to work with our political parties and we know that things such as Bill 124 certainly do not help with the morale of nurses. We want to see that bill go, which will certainly do a lot to increase morale.” (CTV News, June 11)
Barrie nurse provides support to new moms
Barrie RN Marsha Roett wanted to help expecting mothers, so she started the program Nurse on Fire, which provides a safe space for pregnant women and their families to ask questions and seek pre-natal and post-partum advice. “Mental health in pregnancy is a topic that is not talked about often, but is very important,” Roett says. The program aims to help new mothers build confidence and ease some of the stress of pregnancy, delivery and post-partum. It provides 90-minute group sessions to discuss concerns, ask questions and gain support. “Sharing my knowledge and experiences to help prepare families for the birth of their first child brings joy to me and I’m happy I can be there for them,” Roett says. “I feel when families have some knowledge about what to expect when having a baby, post-partum care and life with a new baby at home, they are less nervous for the baby's arrival.” (BarrieToday, April 24)
Photo by Rachel Callan Photography
Some RN psychotherapy coverage denied
London RN psychotherapist Tara Tourloukis says that some of her patients have been denied insurance coverage for her services. After spending almost two decades working in the public health system, Tourloukis decided to open a private psychotherapy practice in the fall of 2021. RN and NP psychotherapists in Ontario are authorized by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) to initiate and perform this controlled act. However, their services are not always covered by insurance companies that say they are restricted by language in their contracts and the regulatory environment, among other limitations. RNAO has been meeting with insurance companies to discuss these limitations and develop strategies to ensure RN and NP psychotherapists are recognized for their specialty work. The goal is to increase access to mental health services which is critical in the aftermath of COVID-19. “I realize not everyone knows psychotherapy can be a specialty for nurses, but we put a lot of time and effort into it (courses and training). It’s really important to us to offer this skilled ability for people who are looking for mental health care,” Tourloukis says. “We will continue to do what we’re doing, and we’ll continue to advocate.” RNAO has committed to ongoing advocacy on this issue as well. The association’s Mental Health Nurses Interest Group (MHNIG) is working to establish a sub-group of RN and NP psychotherapists in an effort to push for coverage of their services. (CTV News London, April 19)
Nurse provides aid to refugees at Poland-Ukraine border
RN Brandon Duncan (above, second from left) was one of many volunteers to travel to Poland this spring to join the Canadian Medical Assistance Teams (CMAT) in providing aid for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Duncan, who works at London Health Sciences Centre, sits on CMAT’s board of directors and previously volunteered with the organization after an earthquake in Haiti in 2010 and again in the Philippines after an earthquake in 2013. In March, Duncan worked at several Poland-Ukraine border cities and also made the perilous crossing into Ukraine to get medications and supplies where they were needed. As part of the CMAT team, Duncan says he saw the resilience of the people of Ukraine and Poland. He says he finds this work fulfilling: “I’ve always been really drawn to disaster-relief situations and going (where) they don’t have a lot of resources.” RNAO issued a call, in partnership with CMAT, to find volunteers to apply for missions throughout the spring. Watch for a more in-depth feature about this initiative in the Summer 2022 issue of RNJ. (Global News, April 4)
NP-led clinic helps people experiencing homelessness in Peterborough
A new nurse practitioner-led clinic has opened in Peterborough at the Brock Mission homeless shelter. The clinic is staffed by volunteers and offers primary care to anyone experiencing homelessness. It was founded by NP Lee-Anne Quinn and Dr. Janet Kelly. The aim is to provide access to care for those who may not otherwise have access. The clinic will do the important work of helping those experiencing homelessness but it will also alleviate stress on local emergency departments by providing primary care that addresses infections and chronic illnesses before they require serious medical intervention. “We are here for the love of our practice, the love of the people and the love of the city,” says Quinn. (Peterborough Examiner, June 15)
Nursing Week 2022’s inspiring virtual events
To highlight the current state of nursing in Ontario and the unrelenting resilience of nurses, RNAO marked Nursing Week 2022 (May 9 – 15) with the theme “Nursing Through Crisis.” Throughout the week chapters, regions without chapters, interest groups and the home office, hosted a variety of engaging virtual events to showcase and celebrate how nurses shine during the best and most challenging of times in order to care for others. All of the events are profiles on RNAO’s Nursing Week portal.
From nursing students to early, mid and late career nurses in varying roles across health sectors, RNAO’s events aimed to engage and inform.
The week began with a session about politics as a career choice in nursing, featuring some of the RN and NP candidates running in the June 2022 election. RNAO’s Kingston chapter also hosted an all-candidates debate on May 12, allowing candidates a chance to share how their parties will tackle issues including the nursing crisis, homelessness and nurses’ and nursing students’ mental health. “Ontario is going through a nursing crisis. We entered the pandemic with a shortfall of 22,000 RNs. The stress and burnout of COVID-19 has resulted in a shortage of RNs in all sectors,” said Debra Lefebvre, RNAO Region 9 board representative. To learn more about the event, read the local coverage in The Kingston Whig Standard.
A special Nursing Week edition of RNAO’s monthly COVID-19 Webinar Series came next, with a focus on post-pandemic initiatives. Many guest speakers throughout the week led inspiring discussions about careers in nursing and how to apply research into nursing practice. Events tailored to jobseekers were also offered through an RNCareers.ca presentation and one-to-one resume review sessions.
To mark Florence Nightingale’s birthday and to recognize nurses’ contributions to health care during the pandemic, RNAO, the Registered Practical Nurses Association of Ontario and Ontario Nurses’ Association held the third annual Nursing Now Ontario Awards ceremony. NP Guangxia Meng, RN Marisa Bannavong and RPN Becki Lee were this year’s inspiring recipients.
In an effort to highlight its projects and initiatives to mobilize change where it’s needed in the profession, RNAO hosted a media conference to release its Nursing Through Crisis: A Comparative Perspective report, as well as the nurses’ health and wellbeing In Focus theme web page.
With hundreds of participants, RNAO’s Nursing Week events provided a forum for many rich discussions related to the current state of the profession, nurses’ health and necessary steps to improve health for all.
In an official Nursing Week message authored by then RNAO president (now immediate past president) Morgan Hoffarth and CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun, the message was clear: “You have carried Ontarians through this crisis. Together, we have carried one another. It is this strong commitment that gives us hope for brighter days to come.”
BNTF releases report with recommendations for change
RNAO’s Black Nurses Task Force (BNTF) released a report on Feb. 8 that addresses the systemic anti-Black racism and discrimination that exists in nursing. The report includes 19 recommendations to tackle structural racism targeted towards and experienced by Black nurses within nursing organizations, regulatory bodies, associations and the broader health-care system.
The task force is co-chaired by former RNAO president Dr. Angela Cooper Brathwaite and RNAO member NP Corsita Garraway. In the Toronto Star (Feb. 8), Garraway shared the story of an older Black woman who did not get treatment for gangrene because those caring for her hadn’t recognized the blackness of her foot from the gangrene against her dark skin. “I feel like people don’t always take the time when they see us,” she said. On CTV News (Feb. 8), Brathwaite shared that throughout her studies, including her master’s degree and PhD, she never had a class that was taught by a Black instructor. “I have attended three different universities…I have never had a Black professor in any of my courses,” she said.
BNTF is calling for an end to anti-Black racism within nursing and the dismantling of systemic racism in Ontario. Learn more about the report in our media release.
Easing the staffing shortage in Ontario hospitals
On Jan. 11, the Ontario government announced a program to allow internationally educated nurses (IEN) to work in hospitals and long-term care homes that need staffing support. The province will run this program in partnership with Ontario Health and the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). The program started with 300 IENs to be matched with 50 hospitals across the province. This allows those nurses who need their practice requirements fulfilled to complete those requirements under the supervision of a regulated health-care provider. RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun indicated that the pool of IENs available is much higher than the 300 announced in mid-January. In fact, there are more than 20,000 IENs waiting to be processed and fulfill the requirements to work in this province, as set out by CNO. “We have a problem here in Ontario. Internationally educated nurses are not treated equally and CNO needs to move much quicker with the (registration) process,” Grinspun said (CP24, Jan. 11). Find out more about RNAO’s advocacy on behalf of IENs by visiting the #IENaction campaign online.
RNAO CEO receives Lifetime Achievement Award
We are thrilled to congratulate RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun for receiving the 2021 Nell J. Watts Lifetime Achievement in Nursing Award from the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing’s board of directors. The award honours exemplary achievements in nursing throughout her lifetime.
“This award encapsulates a life-long commitment to healthy public policy and clinical excellence,” Grinspun shared in her acceptance speech during a Nov. 8 virtual ceremony. “I dedicate this award to the thousands of collaborators in the four countries where I have lived, including Chile, Israel, the U.S. and Canada. Mine has been a life journey firmly anchored in values of health for all, propelled by evidence and compassion, and fuelled by courage.”
Watch Grinspun’s full acceptance speech on Twitter and read RNAO’s official media release. The complete list of awards and recipients is available online.
