[brian]

Advisory - Ottawa nurses protest staff shortages, heavy workloads

EVENT: Ontario Nurses' Association - Local 83 Information Picket DATE/TIME: Wednesday, September 14, 2005, from 13:00 to 16:00 LOCATION: The Ottawa Hospital, General Campus OTTAWA, Sept. 13 - Registered nurses from ONA Local 83 working atthe Ottawa Hospital will hold an information picket for members of the mediaand the general public to explain the impact of the current nursing shortageon patient care. The Ontario government said it would hire 8,000 new, full-time nursesover the course of its mandate. It has certainly hired some - but not enough,say front line nurses, to give patients the care they require and to ease theburden of overwork faced by RNs in Ottawa and across the province. Queen'sPark has also demanded balanced budgets from the province's hospitals, whichhas caused layoffs. Local 83 represents 3,660 nurses. ONA represents 51,000 registered nursesand allied health professionals in Ontario working in hospitals, long-termcare, public health, community health and industry.