‘I’m terrified that I’m going to kill somebody’

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/06/2022 (1366 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Stepping in to fill staff shortages in a Winnipeg ER has left one nurse “terrified” and calling for action.

The high rate of nurse vacancies in the emergency department at Grace Hospital has meant nurses from other departments have to be reassigned, even though they are not specifically trained to work in emergency.

One ICU nurse said she and her co-workers there and on medicine wards are routinely sent to the ER and are assigned to care for multiple patients. Although working in the ICU requires a high level of training, the ER has different processes, charting systems and monitoring requirements, the nurse said. Being sent to work in an unfamiliar environment with very sick patients and no one to ask for help is extremely stressful. She spoke on the condition of anonymity.

She said she and other nurses have repeatedly raised concerns about the issue to management. She told the Free Press she has seen non-ER nurses “begging,” sometimes to the point of tears, not to be assigned to the ER because they aren’t trained for it. The ER is so short-staffed, she said, that it’s difficult to find someone who can provide urgent guidance.

“I’m terrified that I’m going to kill somebody, simply because I don’t know how to get help or that I don’t know where something is, urgently. It’s terrifying having people’s lives in your hands and not feeling supported by anyone other than the other nurses who are going through the exact same thing,” she said. “I’m in this to help people. I don’t want to hurt people.”

Late Tuesday, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority sent a statement.

“Every effort is being made to have nurses remain on their unit. If they are reassigned, this is considered a last resort, and only occurs when it is the only option to meet demand and ensure patient safety. When that happens, their experience is taken into consideration.”

Thirty nurses left the Grace ER between April 2021 and March 2022, and just 19 were hired, the WRHA said.

Grace Hospital had the highest nursing vacancy rate of all Winnipeg hospitals, according to data provided by the Manitoba Nurses’ Union.

That has left the employer “scrambling” to cover shifts, including trying to get public health nurses and private agency nurses to fill in, said president Darlene Jackson. She said the union has met with hospital administration.

“It’s an uncomfortable situation for nurses, but it’s something that is unavoidable at this point,” because of the critical nursing shortage, Jackson said.

The union also has concerns about the way in which nurses are called in to work for overtime or extra shifts. They’ll be asked to work in their regular department, and when they agree, they’re reassigned to the ER.

The current reality is one of “robbing Peter to pay Paul” because other departments aren’t backfilled when nurses are reassigned to the ER, Jackson said.

“It’s a scary situation for nurses. It’s worrying when you’re put in a situation you’re not familiar with, and the fact is, we are dealing with patients’ lives and patients’ care.”

katie.may@winnipegfreepress.com