N.S. union claims respiratory services in crisis, as agencies say recruiting underway

A Nova Scotia national says a shortage of respiratory therapists is jeopardizing diligent care, but wellness agencies opportunity they’re already responding to nan rumor pinch recruitment efforts.

The Nova Scotia Government and General Employees issued a merchandise Thursday saying nan dropping numbers of nan therapists astatine Nova Scotia Health and nan IWK Health Centre is simply a ‘crisis.’

A spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health said location are presently 83 respiratory therapists, immoderate of them portion time, who capable 63 full-time positions successful nan wellness agency’s cardinal zone. There are 24 vacancies successful nan cardinal zone.

IWK Health said it employs 23 respiratory therapists and has 5 vacant positions successful Halifax.

Both wellness authorities acknowledged staffing shortages among respiratory therapists successful nan province, but noted this is simply a nationwide trend.

The national said successful a merchandise that its members judge nan shortage successful staffing is harming attraction and added that Life Flight services were suspended for much than 50 hours betwixt January and March owed to a deficiency of disposable respiratory therapists.

The Life Flight work transports captious neonatal and obstetric patients to nan IWK Health Centre from crossed each 3 Maritime provinces.

The IWK said successful an email Thursday location are “occasionally little interruptions” successful nan Life Flight and different carrier services owed to sick calls.
Hugh Gillis, a vice-president of nan union, says nan diminution successful unit comes from existent respiratory therapists looking for amended opportunities successful neighbouring provinces.

Respiratory therapists are highly specialized unit successful nan wellness attraction sector, Gillis explained, making request for workers precocious crossed nan country. He said retaining respiratory therapists successful nan state is simply a challenge, arsenic respiratory workers successful Nova Scotia are paid little rates than elsewhere successful Canada.

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“Even successful our ain region, we can’t compete pinch our neighbours successful P.E.I. aliases New Brunswick,” Gillis said successful an interview.
Gillis said nan national has been asking nan state to reside nan costs gaps betwixt different provinces for almost 2 years. He said truthful acold there’s been nary action taken.

Gillis besides said moving conditions astatine nan Victoria General Hospital and Halifax Infirmary—both parts of nan greater QEII Health Sciences Centre successful Halifax—are “taking a toll” connected workers.

“These folks are giving 110 per cent each time and astatine nan extremity of nan time they spell location and are really stressed astir nan activity situation,” he said.

The NSGEU is presently successful bargaining talks pinch Nova Scotia Health and nan province. Earlier this month, nan NSGEU, Unifor and nan Canadian Union of Public Employees revenge for conciliation from nan state to scope an basal services statement pinch nan province. This is simply a first measurement toward a imaginable strike.

This study by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2024.