Lakeshore General Hospital in Montreal: Emergency Department at Breaking Point
The Montreal-West Island Union of Care Professionals has
stated that the emergency nurses at the Lakeshore General Hospital in
Pointe-Claire can no longer meet the population's needs due to a
critical shortage of staff. The Emergency Department's occupancy rate
is currently at 129 per cent, and there is a regular shortage of
nurses and nursing assistants on a number of shifts.
The union explains that one of the major problems is that many
nurses are on sick leave, and the necessary replacement staff
cannot be recruited because of the unsustainable working conditions. It
has put forward several proposals since 2018 to end the overwork and
understaffing in the Emergency Department.
"We have taken countless steps to correct the situation and have
quickly put action plans in place. Emergency care professionals signed
a petition in March 2019, and although the employer has made efforts to
correct the situation, it is not succeeding in attracting and retaining
emergency room staff," said union president Johanne Riendeau.
Under these circumstances the union is demanding that the
government fulfill its responsibility to deal with the crisis in a way
that meets the needs of the nurses and the public.
"The working conditions are not attractive enough and the
professionals are leaving on sick leave due to exhaustion. Our most
recent demand is to pay nurses and auxiliary nurses double the rate,
but this demand was refused. We are addressing ourselves directly to
the Minister of Health and Social Services, Christian Dubé, and
to the Premier,
François Legault, who for the moment pay little attention to the
care team and to all the care professionals who comprise it. The
government must act quickly and concretely to improve working
conditions and make the positions of healthcare professionals more
attractive," Riendeau said.
This article was published in
Number 61 - September 15, 2020
Article Link:
Lakeshore General Hospital in Montreal: Emergency Department at Breaking Point
Website: www.cpcml.ca
Email: editor@cpcml.ca
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