[brian]

A union representing Ontario nurses has launched a $2-million advertising campaign to highlight the staffing shortage it says is on the verge of causing a health-care crisis.

The Ontario Nurses' Association is running the ads on television, radio and billboards to pressure the government to hire thousands of nurses.

The campaign – the union calls the largest such effort in its history – claims patient care is at risk because the shortage is causing nurses to experience stress, injury and burnout.

The ads feature the link to the union's website and pose the question: "When you need a nurse, will one be there for you?"

Full Story: Nurses launch $2M ad campaign to warn of health crisis [CBC Ottawa, Canada]

[NRSKarenRN]

Ontario Nurses' Association - Not Enough Nurses Campaign
http://www.notenoughnurses.ca/index.php





Link to ads: http://www.notenoughnurses.ca/videos

Ontario Nursing Shortage


Solutions offered:
Twelve Proposed Solutions from ONA
1 Add RNs and other health professionals so that hospitals, centres for long term care and homecare serve patients better. Don't replace RNs with less skilled workers.

2 Increase base funding to health care institutions to enable more RNs to provide patient care.

3 Invest as necessary to make the health system work. Patients are worth the expense.

4 Keep late career nurses in the system by improving working conditions, raising safety standards, and reducing workload. By encouraging these professionals to stay in the workforce, younger colleagues will also have access to much-needed mentoring.

5 Aim for no fewer than 12,000 new, permanently funded nursing positions by 2008.

6 Improve scheduling for full-time nurses so they can better balance professional and private commitments. To the extent this is accomplished, more part-time RNs say they will favour full-time work.

7 Offer full-time jobs to all working and graduating nurses who desire them. Turn overtime into new jobs.

8 Improve care and staffing by giving nurses more of a say in health care facilities.

9 Invest the funds necessary to improve infrastructure at nursing schools and replenish the ranks of instructors, so that future supplies of nursing professionals are abundant.

10 When it comes to homecare, put an end to the system of competitive bidding and for-profit services. Neither patients nor workers have been well-served.

11 Fund public health units adequately, so they can fulfil their mandate.

12 Preserve Medicare as a one-tier system for all. That's what Ontarians - and Canadians - want.
http://www.notenoughnurses.ca/12solutions

[pickledpepperRN]

Good for Ontario nurses!
People need to know how important it is to have a nurse when you need one.
THEN write the Minister of Health.
NO candidate should get votes who doesn't support action on safe staffing.