Ontario Nurses Call On Doug Ford To Move The Province Back To Step 1 Measures

Some of Ontario's nurses are calling on Premier Ford to bring on stricter public health measures to alleviate some of the stressors on the province's healthcare system.

In a letter penned to Premier on January 5, the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario talked about "the cracks in our health system" as a result of the fifth wave the province is currently enduring. Some of the "cracks" mentioned at the start of the letter mention Code Orange used at some hospitals, the cancellation of surgeries, and the shortage of registered nurses.

"Throughout the entire course of this pandemic, you have continually shown disrespect for nurses and the nursing profession turning a pre-pandemic nursing shortage into a full-blown nursing crisis," the letter reads.

"Two actions are required immediately to avert the full collapse fo Ontario's health system: Move Ontario back to Step One of Ontario's Roadmap to Reopen, [and] Repeal Bill 124, top up compensation and improve working conditions for nurses so we retain those working and the thousands who have left hopefully return."

During Step One of Ontario's reopening plan, only outdoor gatherings of ten people were allowed, and capacity limits at essential and non-essential retail stores were cut down to 25% and 15% respectively.

"Ontarians desperately needs the help of the nursing profession to succeed in fighting Omicron. As the premier of this province, it is on you to understand this, change the conduct of your government and bring hope back to our nursing profession," the letter reads.

Opposition leaders Andrea Horwath, Steven Del Duca, and Mike Schreiner, as well as Ontario Council of Hospital Unions, also called on the Ford administration to take action and repeal the bill as well as recruit more healthcare staff (and keep them on, too.)

The Ontario government has introduced some training programs for registered nurses and PSWs looking to advance their careers in long-term care as well as a free training program to bring more healthcare workers to northern Ontario.

As of January 6, there are 2,279 people at the hospital with COVID-19 and 319 people are in the ICU.

Earlier this week, on January 4, the William Osler Health System declared a "Code Orange" at their hospitals - Brampton Civic Hospital and Etobicoke General Hospital - due to a rise of COVID-19 patients as well a "staffing challenges" that affected their capacities.