ER closures and limited staffing | GTAMotorcycle.com

ER closures and limited staffing

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mimico_polak

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I remember during the original height of COVID there were many hospitals running at capacity with not enough space on ICUs and urgent care beds available. I stopped riding for a while because frankly why add to the risk.

Today I’m reading multiple hospitals are shutting down ERs due to staffing shortages and there’s more to come.

Not sure if I’ll stop riding just yet to wait out the shortages in case something happens while on 2 wheels but the risk of not getting the care you need is real. And especially in the more remote areas with smaller hospitals.

Be careful out there.
 
mimico_polak said:
I remember during the original height of COVID there were many hospitals running at capacity with not enough space on ICUs and urgent care beds available. I stopped riding for a while because frankly why add to the risk.

Today I’m reading multiple hospitals are shutting down ERs due to staffing shortages and there’s more to come.

Not sure if I’ll stop riding just yet to wait out the shortages in case something happens while on 2 wheels but the risk of not getting the care you need is real. And especially in the more remote areas with smaller hospitals.

Be careful out there.
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It's not just small centres. Toronto Western almost called it this weekend (although there are obviously nearby alternates closing one probably pushes the rest into a state of near failure).
 
GreyGhost said:
It's not just small centres. Toronto Western almost called it this weekend (although there are obviously nearby alternates closing one probably pushes the rest into a state of near failure).
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Yup, read that also. The GTA I’m not too worried about as there are (currently) alternatives if one is full. The smaller centres don’t have that luxury and we all prefer to ride outside of the GTA.

If anything I may just slow it down more, even bough I’m not a fast rider.
 
Imagine what the nursing homes are like now where they're paid less.
 
Some GTA hospitals are adding SWAT squads. These highly trained nurses who work in high acuity floors.

Province is paying them $90 to100hr for OT work. The few nurses I know told me there is competition to get on those teams.
 
GreyGhost said:
It's not just small centres. Toronto Western almost called it this weekend (although there are obviously nearby alternates closing one probably pushes the rest into a state of near failure).
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That was a union thing.
 
Mad Mike said:
Some GTA hospitals are adding SWAT squads. These highly trained nurses who work in high acuity floors.

Province is paying them $90 to100hr for OT work. The few nurses I know told me there is competition to get on those teams.
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$90-100/hr….where do I sign up? Fact is if you want people to keep at it…need to pay them.
 
mimico_polak said:
$90-100/hr….where do I sign up? Fact is if you want people to keep at it…need to pay them.
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Sort of. Assuming that demand is continuous and not just a surge, hiring full-time for a reasonable rate is a better plan than OT/contract with rates to the moon. Many of those that collect those rates get used to them and will no longer want to work for a reasonable rate.
 
Relax said:
So what's the cause of the current staffing shortage? People just don't want to to work any more?
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I know quite a few good nurses who had enough and left active care. They went to massage therapy, public health, etc. Not sure why the hospital doctor shortage is happening. They can't easily jump fields without taking a huge cut in compensation.
 
Perfect storm of factors including Bill 124 and this was coming ...one reason Canada has tried to increase the immigration rate.

Where have all the workers gone? Don't blame COVID, economists say. Boomers are exiting the workforce in droves, leaving more job vacancies than there are people to fill them​


alistair-steele-municipal-reporter-cbc-ottawa.jpg

Alistair Steele · CBC News · Posted: Jul 23, 2022 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated: July 24
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TwistedKestrel said:
Let's not forget about the wage suppression bill 124
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While my job is not as important as a nurse, we are also affected.

‘We’re sorry but we work you to the bone and you’re limited to 1%….but we know people will stay, not for the salary, but for the atmosphere we can provide.’

We are losing people left right and centre.
 
Bill 124, not just the cap, but the kick in the pants the police and fire get pretty much whatever they moan about. The hours suck, most knew that going into the industry but not getting lunch/ dinner or a coffee break is common on many floors in a hospital right now.

Then add the secret deals within the hospital that staff are offered double and double time and a half to show up, and let the floor that is not getting doublke and a half find out..... guess who doesnt make themselves available for extra shifts or answer the phone when they are looking
to replace a sick call? thats right , the ones only making straight time.

It will not get better in the near future, seasoned veterans are leaving in mass, they have options. New grads just dont yet have the institutional knowledge that comes from a decade on the job. Its a really bad time to need a hospital.
 
Relax said:
So what's the cause of the current staffing shortage? People just don't want to to work any more?
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Many in the industry are getting burnt out. I know quite a few same as GG that have left or on the verge of leaving.
They are the ones that are directly affected daily with the COVID waves and also deal with the the crazies.
The stories I get from ER nurses are just as if not more bonkers than from police. One has a variety of weapons and is trained in use of force. One is not. For what they get paid and the hours worked the balance of 'is it worth it?' has shifted more towards No.
 
Relax said:
So what's the cause of the current staffing shortage? People just don't want to to work any more?
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I was chatting with a friend about the shortage of labor everywhere and mentioned that I thought the pandemic, and the increased pressures/demands/irritations led to a significant number of older workers who were close enough to retirement to call it a day permanently. A guy who has a couple Tim Hortons, and another fellow with a hardware store agreed, telling me that they lost their older semi-retired casual workers during/after the pandemic. These people realized that they really could retire and didn't need to work a bit to keep busy, they could be busy just doing things they enjoyed. The work experience became less enjoyable and wasn't financially necessary so they stopped. It's what I did.

The CBC has a somewhat different take, blaming it on strictly a demographic shift, but I still think there has to be a catalyst for quitting.

"Boomers are exiting the workforce in droves, leaving more job vacancies than there are people to fill them"

​

 
Baggsy said:
Imagine what the nursing homes are like now where they're paid less.
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My wife makes more working $$ in nursing homes. Hospitals are limited to 1% raises. Private nursing homes, clinics are able to raise their pay.
 
mimico_polak said:
I remember during the original height of COVID there were many hospitals running at capacity with not enough space on ICUs and urgent care beds available. I stopped riding for a while because frankly why add to the risk.

Today I’m reading multiple hospitals are shutting down ERs due to staffing shortages and there’s more to come.

Not sure if I’ll stop riding just yet to wait out the shortages in case something happens while on 2 wheels but the risk of not getting the care you need is real. And especially in the more remote areas with smaller hospitals.

Be careful out there.
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The choice to ride, or not ride is yours, but I think you're being a little paranoid?
 
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