Charlottetown, PE – The Prince Edward Island Nurses Union (PEINU) has been actively engaging with Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in caucus briefings with all political parties, addressing critical healthcare issues and the concerns of nurses across the province. This proactive approach precedes the opening of the PEI Legislative Assembly this week.
Over the past few days, PEINU President Barbara Brookins has provided caucus briefings to MLAs from the Official Opposition, Third Party, and Government Members Offices, discussing four key issues: Retention, Agency Nursing, Healthcare Service Downgrading and Closures, and Integration of Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs). The briefings underscore the Union’s commitment to advocating for the well-being of nurses and the enhancement of healthcare services in Prince Edward Island.
The Union has consistently engaged with Health PEI and the Department of Health and Wellness, emphasizing the need for urgent and fundamental changes to a healthcare system in crisis. It is time to broaden those conversations.
Broadening the Conversations.
Key issues discussed in these meetings included:
1. Retention Strategies:
PEINU is focusing on measures to enhance the retention of nurses, as the current initiatives are falling short. The vacancy rates for Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners have reached unprecedented levels of 29% and 35%, respectively.
PEINU has also shared its 2024-25 Pre-Budget Consultation Submission, emphasizing the stabilization of the current workforce and strategies to support members in committing to higher position guarantees.
2. Agency Nursing:
The Union is bringing attention to concerns related to the use of nursing agencies across the province, highlighting the lack of transparency and sustainability in PEI and how it is affecting our nurses who feel that their hard work and dedication to our healthcare system is being taken for granted.
Using private, for-profit nursing agencies might solve a problem for a short time, but it’s not a good fix for the long run. It also means we’re not dealing with the underlying issues in our healthcare system until they become a big problem. We’re already seeing this at places like Colville Manor and Prince County Hospital.
The problem with agency nursing is that it doesn’t give the consistent care and commitment that our PEINU members provide to their patients. Our members work hard to improve the healthcare system and make sure Islanders get better health outcomes. The very nature of agency nursing is that it is temporary. Agency nursing does not give rise to the same level of commitment or concern for the long-term health outcomes for patients, or the long-term success (or failure) of the healthcare system. The Union strongly believes we need a better, more transparent, and sustainable approach to staffing within our healthcare system.
Efforts to obtain details from Health PEI have been met with delays, prompting PEINU to submit a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy request to obtain contract details and a request to the Auditor General of PEI for an audit of the utilization of private, for-profit agency nursing in the public sector.
3. Healthcare Service Downgrading and Closures:
PEINU advocates for safe staffing levels to ensure stable and predictable healthcare service delivery.
No critical care service should have to shut down because one healthcare provider isn’t available for a shift. Yet this is the reality whether it is the Emergency departments at Western or Kings County Memorial Hospitals, or the Intensive Care Unit (now the Progressive Care Unit) at Prince County Hospital. The most recent announcement about the opening of the Emergency Department Short Stay Unit (EDSSU) at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital further underscores the Union’s concerns about the impact of the pressure from government on the delivery of healthcare services. Only 4 of 11 Registered Nurses positions required to operate this new unit have been filled. Inadequate staffing levels not only compromise employee and patient safety, and the quality of the care that can be provided to patients, but it is also likely to cause disruptions to service delivery in the unit.
4. Integration of Internationally Educated Nurses:
PEINU is addressing the challenges faced by Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs), emphasizing the lack of support and resources for their successful integration into the Island’s healthcare system.
There have been over 100 job offers from the recruitment missions to Dubai and Singapore but the work has to be done here at home to ensure their success and long-term retention. Nova Scotia is leading the way in this area, having recruited and introduced more than 400 IENs over the past six months. There have been valuable lessons learned and although PEINU has provided this information and the necessary operations contacts, to the Union’s knowledge, discussions have not taken place to ensure that similar systems and resources will be in place.
Training and bridging programs, as well as dedicated support personnel and mentoring programs, are identified as critical components that need to be in place before IENs arrive.
PEINU expresses sincere appreciation for the opportunity to engage with Members of the Legislative Assembly on these critical matters and looks forward to continuing these discussions moving forward. The Union recognizes that healthcare concerns are paramount and impact every Islander. By fostering open dialogue and collaboration with MLAs from all parties, PEINU aims to drive positive change and contribute to the ongoing improvement of healthcare services in Prince Edward Island.