Earlier this week Health Minister Paul Merriman was quoted in the media as saying “he was grateful for the sacrifices of health-care workers but posited that workers taking a vacation was responsible for the shortfall in the system.”

Like you – I was shocked and appalled that the Minister would imply the labour shortage and challenges our healthcare system is facing is somehow our fault.

Here is the real story - nurses are retiring or leaving their jobs, particularly in rural and remotes areas and intensive care units. The cause - burnout, exhaustion, and overwhelming frustration.

Why? Staffing – there just aren’t enough registered nurses on the frontlines. We are seeing an increasing number of registered nurse positions across the province are vacant, including 95 ICU positions. None of these are due to registered nurses “taking a vacation”. Many have still not been able to take vacation time, are being mandated to work, and are continuously taking on overtime shifts so that their patients would have the care required.

This issue is magnified by the fact that during the COVID-19 pandemic, 78% of our members report a greater sense of tension, 67.2% reported a greater sense of anxiety or hopelessness, and 75.4% reported increased concern with safety. Based on member survey data, 47.5% of members have considered leaving the profession over the past year, with nursing conditions being the leading factor. Currently, 20% (1 in 5) of SUN members are eligible to retire – if we don’t find a way to relieve the pressures on the front-line staff, this stat will no longer be a prediction but a reality.

“Normally I’m not at a loss for words. I can talk about just about anything. There was nothing I could say to them,” Zambory told the Star Phoenix earlier this week of a recent conversation with members. “They were despondent … and generally just heartbroken and in fear of not being able to give the patient care that they need to.”

Minister Merriman’s insensitive and uninformed comments will not be ignored. Today, I wrote to the Minister to set the record straight and request the opportunity to discuss solutions. Click here to read my letter.

We do believe there are solutions, and we are committed to working with the government and Saskatchewan Health Authority to relieve the insurmountable pressures and burnout registered nurses and the healthcare system are experiencing.
 
In solidarity,
Tracy Zambory, RN
SUN President