Alberta Health Services

World Canada

Published

OK, we've all heard that they are eliminating 100 managerial positions.

We got the OT ban announcement last week, followed by the "part timers should pick up shifts before OT is permitted" (well, duh, that's in the contracts, can't help it if the staffing office failed to follow the rules), followed by the those on OT will be floated off to units within their services that are short.

How about the wonderful pens for nursing week?

How is AHS affecting your work day?

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

It's going to be absolutely chaotic here for the foreseeable future, and I wish I could just pull a Rip van Winkle! The rumour about AHE has been repeated by reputable sources and I think it's likely true. There have been no denials from anyone with any authority so that lends credence to it.

You know, I was in Winnipeg a few weeks ago and was actually tempted to move back.

Specializes in med/surg.
Jan, the rumour going around the Alex is that it is all staff with less than 14 months service

Now is there any truth to the story being floated that the land at Alberta Hospital, Edmonton has been sold to housing developers?

Moments like these make you proud to live here.

14 months would keep me safe! :-):D

BTW They privatised cleaning in the UK in the late 80's early 90's. Want to know the result??...............................A HUGE increase in Hospital Acquired Infections. So guess what they did in the late 90's early 2000's?????...................................yup, most hospitals brought cleaning back in house. Want to know the result???..................................A massive DECREASE in HAI's!!!

GO FIGURE!!!!!!:confused:

RG, we all know that. But Steady Eddie, and Duckbrain are only looking at bottom dollar. Ducky wants his bonus!!

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

So we'll hope the AHS is going to use that 14 month number for you RGN1.

There has already been mention of the inevitability of a dramatic increase in hospital-acquired infections once housekeeping is privatised. Dr Duckett's blog got more than one comment to that effect, but it seems that ideology matters more than practicality. There were also red flags on the privatisation of security play but that too will push forward, to be undone again in a year or so when Cassandra is proven not to be just an alarmist.

Specializes in med/surg.
So we'll hope the AHS is going to use that 14 month number for you RGN1.

:lol2: Well as long as the notices go out after 15th Jan anyway!!:D

We've had a full time RN leave who we've already been told will not be replaced plus we have some staff on temp lines that are ending soon (mat leave etc) it's going to be carnage. I hope *uckit (oops typo - sorry:p) enjoys his bonus because Klein will seem like a ***** cat after this lot are done!!

EDMONTON - Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach has confirmed he'll shuffle his cabinet this week and then return to the legislature to deliver a cost-cutting budget on Feb. 9.

Stelmach would not confirm details of the shuffle, but sources have told The Canadian Press it will involve several portfolios, including health, energy and environment.

Stelmach emerged from a cabinet meeting today to say he will call his ministers and the new cabinet members to discuss the changes.

Sources say Wednesday's shuffle will include Ron Liepert, Alberta's health minister, replacing Mel Knight as energy minister.

Stelmach says the new session of the legislature will begin Feb. 4, about a week earlier than required.

This will be the first sitting for two dissident Tories who recently defected to the upstart Wildrose Alliance.

Will this change or affect any of what is happening right now? We've been told that "Liepert is very pro-LPN" and would be looking to encourage more use of LPNs as opposed to RNs (cheaper). Do you see any changes or is this just a shifting of the clowns?

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

It's an exercise in CYA. Once Mr Liepert has been moved out of the portfolio he is NOT answerable for any of his actions. The rumoured new Health Minister is Doug Horner... and he too knows little or nothing about today's health care. (Although his father was a physician and surgeon, he was also a career politician, winning his first election in 1958 and continuing in federal then provincial politics until 1979 when he retired. He then worked on a number of agricultural projects and did not practice medicine again.) Doug's slavishly devoted to the Premier and will toe the party line. The health care budget cut juggernaut will be difficult to rein in, and with Dr Duckett still fully in charge and seemingly accountable to no one, I can't see that a cabinet shuffle will even be a blip on his radar. Ideology is unaffected by logic. They've decided that the path they are on is the correct one and they will stay on that path until they've committed political suicide. So yes, I believe that the push to move LPNs into every area of care will continue unabated.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

So the pundits' prediction was quite wrong. The new minister of health is Gene Zwozdesky. His pre-political background is in Ukrainian dance and music; his governmental history includes minister of aboriginal relations, minister of community development, minister of education and deputy minister of health and wellness and capital planning. He has also served as co-chair of the cabinet policy committee on public safety and services. How that will translate into effective management of a hugely dysfunctional health services system remains to be seen.

The rumoured layoffs at the Grey Nuns did not happen. Stay tuned...

Specializes in med/surg.

Oh well, at least he's qualified in one area............................he'll be able to lead us all in a merry dance!!!!!!!

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
Oh well, at least he's qualified in one area............................he'll be able to lead us all in a merry dance!!!!!!!

Yeah. One with exceedingly intricate steps! Have you ever seen Ukrainian dance? I think the conductor seen at 21 seconds might even be him!

I've just finished wiping up the tea I spit out after hearing this on the radio.

Duckitt is reported to have said it's OK for AHS to re-arranges schedules and staff needs to permit staff to go to Haiti to help out. OK, I guess if all the nursing lines are filled people are entitled to do what they want with their time off. So, I guess Steady Eddi is right there NO NURSING SHORTAGE, we can let our staff go overseas!

Also, they are kicking around the idea of bringing survivors to Alberta to be treated in hospitals.

I support aiding these people in their country but to bring them to a climate and culture so foreign to them? To a system that we are constantly being told can't meet the needs of the taxpayers that fund it? Am I the only person who finds something really weird about this?

Specializes in med/surg.

You forget, of course, that there isn't a nursing shortage!:lol2:

There was but now, somehow, despite the hiring freeze (that didn't happen really) & the non-replacement of staff who leave we're just fine!

NOT that I don't think Haiti should get all the help it can, it's awful what has happened but really *uckitt, you take the biscuit!!!!

+ Add a Comment