RN Wendy McNeil has worked in various critical care settings for the past 40 years. On Dec. 12, the long-time RNAO member resigned from her job at Sudbury’s Health Sciences North. McNeil said this decision was a long time coming: “I could see myself, as well as my colleagues, feel like (we’re) drowning.” In an open letter on Facebook, McNeil shared that the current state of the health-care system makes her feel unable to meet the bare minimum standards of safety. She said nurses often have to redirect their focus to deal with other duties, including answering phone calls, cleaning, porter duties and navigating complex social work issues. McNeil is worried for younger nurses who are in distress and aren’t being heard. She also notes that the nursing situation was already in trouble before the pandemic: “This pandemic was just the crack that made the big crevasse. Health care has been an ongoing issue for a long, long time.” RNAO CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun responded to McNeil’s letter: “It’s a story of disregard of nursing and nursing as a profession that repeats and repeats.” (CTV Northern News, Dec. 31)