Staff Writer
memara@fortfrances.com
Survey shows that Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) in northern Ontario communities are experiencing high levels of workload pressure, anxiety, workplace violence and physical and mental exhaustion.
This survey, administered by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions (OCHU) and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) from March to April, was answered by 200 RPNs working at hospitals in Sudbury, Kenora and Fort Frances. The total number of nurses who took the survey across Ontario is 2,650.
Michael Hurley, President of CUPE’s OCHU, said the polling paints a stark picture of exhausted nurses who feel unvalued and unsupported.
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Registered practical nurses (RPNs) in Northern Ontario are experiencing greater levels of anxiety, workplace violence, workload pressures and other negative impacts when compared to other RPNs across Ontario.
The Ontario Council of Hospital Unions and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (OCHU/CUPE), in an online teleconference, released these finding this week and outlined in an RPN Members’ Survey.
As part of a Zoom news event to release the survey, the union called on some Northern Ontario nurses to comment.
Karen Brosseau, an RPN who has been working in Sudbury for 29 years, said she never thought she would have to work through SARS or the current COVID pandemic.
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Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) in Northern Ontario are experiencing greater levels of anxiety, workplace violence, workload pressures and other negative impacts when compared to other RPNs across Ontario.
The details, outlined in an RPN Members’ Survey, were released Wednesday by the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (OCHU/CUPE) in an online teleconference.
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Try refreshing your browser. CUPE survey says Registered Practical Nurses poorly treated in Northern Ontario Back to video
Michael Hurley, president of OCHU/CUPE, said it shows action is required to improve the working conditions and pay levels for Ontario’s RPNs.