Nursing unions across the country are planning on a Day of Action this Friday.
Janet Hazelton, head of the Nova Scotia Nurses Union, said the day is about educating
Nova Scotia Nurses Union President Janet Hazelton (Nova Scotia Nurses Union photo)
Canadians about the challenges currently facing the profession. Those challenges, Hazelton said, include nurse shortages which leads to the issue of burnout, and the potential for violence nurses face in the work place.
As for why it’s happening, Hazelton said nurses aren’t sure the general public understands the challenges nurses face. In terms of what is happening in Nova Scotia, she said the NSNU is hosting a barbeque near their office in Dartmouth, followed by speeches from various representatives.
With the provincial government’s pledge to speak with front line health care workers in the various health zones next week, Hazelton said the message from the union is one of there has to be a plan and the plan can’t be just to last through an election cycle. She said nurses want to see a sustainable plan to deal with the crisis currently facing their profession.