Putting Change Into Motion
Our three-fold plan to stabilize the nursing crisis and build better health care:
Putting Change Into Motion
Our three-fold plan to stabilize the nursing crisis and build better health care:
Our Plan Of Action
The health care system is beyond broken.
Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners have been facing the front lines of this crisis for years. Emergency rooms that are completely overrun, massive backlogs of surgeries and procedures, impossibly long wait lists for long-term care beds – things don’t have to be this way.
In consultation with industry experts and RNs/NPs from across Newfoundland & Labrador, we’re putting forth a plan to stabilize the crisis while addressing the short- and long-term concerns of the system.
As bad as it might look, the health care system is not beyond repair.
Government has the power and ability to protect patient care and solve the nursing crisis.
Our plan for better health care revolves around 3 central points:
1. Retain
Keeping experienced Registered Nurses & Nurse Practitioners who are currently working in Newfoundland & Labrador is our top priority. RNs and NPs are highly educated, skilled professionals who provide “round-the-clock” patient care. They assess, educate, and advocate for their patients in ways others cannot. They are vital to providing safe patient care. But with unimaginable and unsafe working conditions, the lowest compensation in the country, and opportunities to make more money as private agency nurses, why would they choose to keep going? We’re fighting for:
- A salary that’s fair and competitive.
- Better retention benefits to keep the RNs & NPs we still have.
- Safer, supportive, and healthy work environments.
2. Return
Mandatory overtime, 24-hour shifts, high levels of violence, and no access to leave. Years of understaffing and inadequate planning got us here. And patients are paying the price. Public health is not a business, and RNU is committed to finding short and long-term solutions that improve working conditions and:
- Return RNs back to the profession.
- Return casual RNs back to full-time positions.
- Return retired RNs to the workforce.
- Return RNs and NPs back to the public system from private nursing agencies.
3. Recruit
With 650 vacant RN positions throughout Newfoundland & Labrador, nurse-to-patient ratios are already critically low in hospitals and medical centres across the province. In two years, that number will have grown to 1500. It’s time to turn this ship around and create healthier workplace. We must recruit and train as many RNs and NPs as possible. We’re fighting for:
- Better recruitment incentives to hire & retain permanent positions.
- Incentives for new graduates to go into full-time positions.
- Safer working conditions.
How You Can Help
Health care is beyond broken – but it isn’t beyond repair.
Our momentum is building. One by one, we all have the power to make a difference and help rebuild health care.
#RaiseYourVoiceNL
Who are you speaking up for? Record a short video that says “I’m raising my voice for…” and share it on your social media channels using the hashtags #BeyondBrokenNL & #RaiseYourVoiceNL
Email Your MHA
Just tell us your riding and click ‘send’. Because there’s power in numbers, and our policy makers are supposed to do be doing what’s best for public health.
Spread The Word
It’s easy to help spread the word. We’ve got multiple ways to #RaiseYourVoiceNL across multiple social media channels and platforms.