Linda Silas: Nurses stepped up to support Canada through the pandemic. Now governments must step up to support nurses.
May 30, 2022 (NIAGARA, ON) – Representatives of frontline nurses gather this week to work on solutions to the dire health human resource crisis that has been driving nurses out of the profession. The three-day National Summit brings together nurse representatives from across the country to urgently address the crisis in health care.
“The fate of our cherished public health care system and quality patient care is being put at risk by health workforce shortages. Nurses are overworked, burning out and being driven out of the profession,” warned Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU). “This week, nursing representatives from across the country are coming together to talk about concrete measures to better retain nurses, return departing nurses to the profession, and recruit the next generation.”
Silas welcomed leading nurses from across the country to these critical meetings on the future of nursing in Canada. These meetings come at a time when many nurses are finding themselves at a crossroads after two years of the added strain of working through the pandemic.
“So many of our fellow nurses are suffering mental and physical fatigue with no relief in sight. Nurses face extreme staff shortages and forced overtime while patient care suffers,” said Silas. “We need governments to act now, with urgency. The Council of the Federation meets in just six weeks. It is critical the provinces and federal government come together to address this crisis through concrete measures – with real accountability and backed by proper funding.”
The National Summit brings together regional perspectives on nursing from across the country to share ideas and policy solutions to this critical national problem.
“Today’s crisis was the result of decades of underfunding. Now, nurses and the people they care for are paying the price,” concluded Silas. “We stand ready to work with the premiers and prime minister on solutions. But make no mistake – we simply cannot delay action any longer.”
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The CFNU is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing Canada’s frontline nurses in every sector of health care – from home care, LTC, community and acute care, including nursing students – and advocating on key health priorities and federal engagement in the future of public health care.
For more information, please contact:
Ben René, media@nursesunions.ca, 613-406-5962