Nursing shortages remain an issue in Manitoba

It may be a new year, but the nursing shortage and problems within the healthcare system in Manitoba remain.

Manitoba Nurses Union President Darlene Jackson raising the alarm as the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at the Health Science’s Centre is extremely depleted.

She says many nurses are being deployed out of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and into the PICU.

“It’s very unnerving that you worry you are not providing the care the patient needs,” explained Jackson.

“We have heard from those nurses in the NICU that it is not very comfortable for them even though they are all pediatrics in one form or the other in both the

In ICUs, it is very difficult to take someone who is used to dealing with a two-kilo or one-kilo baby in a NICU and move them into a pediatric ICU where the skillset is different, where the drugs are different, and the drug doses are different. It is very difficult.”

Jackson says ICU units at both HSC and Children’s Hospital are being overwhelmed by the number of patients in need of care, due to flu and COVID season.

“Wait times are getting longer and that backlogging into emergency with individuals waiting for beds when they are admitted is getting more intense.”

Thomas Linner from the Manitoba Health Coalition says the healthcare cuts and closures from the previous PC government are being felt right now – especially with cold and flu season very much upon us.

“What we need to see is more emphasis now to make sure we are better prepared for the next respiratory virus season when it comes and a heavy emphasis on public education and public vaccination,” said Linner.

Fixing the health care system in Manitoba is the top priority for the new Manitoba NDP government. The government is focused on resetting the province’s relationship with existing workers, as well as recruiting new nurses.

The government sent an open letter to healthcare workers asking what they would like to see changed to better the system, and a listening tour campaign began at Winnipeg’s Grace Hospital before the holidays.  Jackson, however, says retaining nurses in the province should be the top priority for this government.

“With this nursing shortage, it’s just going to continue until we really put a stop to people leaving the system and have nurses flee the health care system,” said Jackson.