Letter: Ontario needs more RNs, not fewer

It is extremely distressing to hear that Sudbury Health Sciences North (HSN) has eliminated about 40 full-time and part-time registered nurse (RN) positions since January 2015.

Once again, RNs are made to bear the brunt of poor fiscal planning and budget restraints.

The reduction of these positions, resulting in the elimination of approximately 63,000 hours of direct nursing care, impacts patients in many areas at HSN, including: surgical, operating, oncology, emergency and psychiatry units.

While it is quite apparent HSN has chosen to risk the health outcomes of our patients by cutting tens of thousands of RN hours, our dedicated and highly skilled RNs are concerned about maintaining safe, high-quality care for their patients and community.

Sadly, this is happening across the province, and yet the research and evidence shows the devastating impact of RN cuts: excessive workloads, more complications, increased infections, higher morbidity and mortality rates and readmissions, longer wait times and poorer health outcomes.

No one can replace the valuable skills of an RN, and yet Ontario continues to have the second-worst ratio of RNs to population in all of Canada.

According to the latest statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Ontario has just 714 RNs per 100,000 population compared to an average of 836 per 100,000 for the rest of the country. This is a direct result of Ontario hospitals balancing their budgets at the expense of RN positions.

Even worse, for the first time in 20 years, the supply of RNs has fallen. Since January, Ontario has cut more than 400 RN positions.

The research is clear: Ontario needs more RNs, not fewer. The government and hospitals need to put a moratorium on RN cuts.

I urge Sudbury residents to speak to their MPP and write to the Health Minister to protest the loss of quality patient care.

Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN
President
Ontario Nurses’ Association