Casual nurses resign en masse from Health Sciences Centre program for sexual assault survivors
Leaders at Manitoba's largest hospital working to fill in gaps left after 4 of 13 casual nurses leave
Almost one-third of the casual nursing pool for a sexual assault examiner program at Winnipeg's Health Sciences Centre resigned unexpectedly on Tuesday, health-care officials said, leaving the hospital working to ensure the services are still available when people need them.
The resignations come amid concerns the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program has been unable to deliver on plans to deliver 24/7 coverage.
Dr. Manon Pelletier, HSC's chief medical officer, said Tuesday that officials had no warning four of the 13 casual nurses in the sexual assault nurse examiner program would be resigning. The program also has seven full-time positions, six of which are currently filled.
The program is made up of specialized forensic nurses who collect evidence that can be used in sexual assault investigations. Those nurses mainly work on a casual basis and often have jobs in other areas of the health system.
Hospital leadership is now working to fill in the gaps potentially left by the recent resignations, said Jennifer Cumpsty, executive director of acute health services at the Health Sciences Centre.
That includes encouraging remaining casual nurses to pick up available shifts, lining up an interim physician coverage model, working to expand the program's casual nursing pool and continuing to support recent hires into the program as they complete education and training, she said.
"While this is disappointing, particularly within an area of patient care that we are making every effort to improve, we want our patients to know that we are quickly putting coverage plans in place to ensure availability of these services," Cumpsty said alongside Pelletier at a Zoom news conference Tuesday afternoon.
The update comes less than two months after the sexual assault program ran without in-person staff for a 40-hour weekend period, which left advocates worried that survivors may have been turned away.
'Unacceptable': health minister
Earlier in the day, Health Minister Audrey Gordon raised the issue of the resignations with reporters at the legislative building, saying she was saddened by the news.
"I want Manitobans to know that as your health minister, I find this to be unacceptable," Gordon said, adding the province pledged money almost a year ago to fund full-time positions for the program, one of which is not currently filled.
"I expect resolution and nothing less from our health system leaders.
"We need to understand — what are the issues? Why would, in one day, at the same time, a group of nurses resign? And I will be getting to the bottom of that."
Nurses raised concerns in January that the program was understaffed because it hadn't yet received the provincial funding promised last year.
Neither Gordon nor hospital officials could provide a reason for the nurses' resignations.
But Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, said Tuesday night she's not surprised by the resignations, adding the nurses who quit are disappointed and disillusioned with how the program has been managed.
One of the main issues for the now-departed casual nurses, who had been working other jobs in the health system while providing care in the SANE program, was not being hired for the new permanent positions, she said.
"I think they were just really disappointed they were not given the opportunity to work alongside these survivors," Jackson said.
"Many of … [the casual nurses who resigned] would've loved to have taken a full-time position and done what they love doing, and that's dealing with and supporting victims of sexual assault," Jackson said.
"[But] the way it rolled out, none of those nurses were hired into that program."
Permanent jobs went to nurses with seniority: union
Jackson said nurses with more seniority — but no experience in the sexual assault program — were hired to fill the permanent positions. That was due in part to a change in classification for the positions, she said.
They were initially classified as Nurse 3 jobs and the posting were later revised to Nurse 2 jobs, Shared Health confirmed.
Nurse 2 positions are filled based on seniority under the collective agreement, whereas Nurse 3 positions require a competition, Jackson said. Nurse 2 positions are restricted to working in one facility, while Nurse 3 positions can move between facilities to help patients, she added.
Cumpsty said Tuesday the change came after a classification review into job duties, qualifications and skills.
"Positions were offered through the process that exists for hiring through [human resources]," Cumpsty said.
Jackson said concerns the program was unable to provide coverage at times due to understaffing also played a role in the resignations.
The union previously said gaps in scheduling meant survivors in need of an examination were told to go home, wait and do their best to preserve evidence.
"They're just not willing to work in that program unless they can provide excellent care, and they don't feel they can," Jackson said.
"These are nurses who are incredibly passionate and dedicated to a program. They want to continue to support the survivors. I think they are just so defeated that there has been no change made, and none of their suggestions or solutions had been looked at."
Program not yet 24/7
Cumpsty said hospital leaders are reviewing the program schedule for the next month and will communicate available shifts to casual nurses and physicians who expressed willingness to help out.
They'll also follow up with nurses who previously expressed interest in working with the program about potentially joining its casual pool, she said.
"None of us are satisfied with a program that allows for gaps in these services or that requires patients to wait. We recognize the risks of the current model," said Cumpsty.
She said officials in Manitoba hoped developing a program here, like those in Alberta and British Columbia, would make the service more reliable.
"Building that program takes time. And while we have hired nurses to work in this area as a dedicated resource, they do need time to develop their skills and education over the next several weeks."
Cumpsty said while the program is aiming to be available 24/7, she couldn't say how much coverage there currently is.
Pelletier urged survivors of sexual assault or intimate partner violence who may wonder whether they'll be seen if they come to the hospital to continue seeking medical attention and forensic exams when needed.
"We know that our staff remain very invested in this area of patient care," she said.
"We will do everything possible to see you quickly."
With files from CBC's Josh Crabb and The Canadian Press