Bob Schneider/CHAT News

By Eli J. Ridder, Jesse Gill

Medicine Hat nurses say shift to mental health agency is ‘unsettling’, burnt out from shortage

Oct 2, 2024 | 1:50 PM

Nurses in Medicine Hat rallied on Wednesday to bring awareness to an “unsettling” shift from Alberta Health Services to the province’s new mental health agency, industry shortages and concerns over the growth of private health care.

Nurses who work outside of Medicine Hat Regional Hospital at community sites have been moved from under the broader AHS to the recently established Recovery Alberta in a way that’s created confusion, said local union president Tracy Jackson.

“They don’t really know what’s going on, there’s not a lot of transparent communication about what that’s going to look like going forward,” Jackson said as her colleagues marched in front of the hospital.

“It’s just very unsettling for nurses that are already overworked. We are working short, we are working a lot of overtime, and we just need to feel respected in our workplaces.”

Donna Bitz, president of the union representing nurses like her who work in the hospital, said the shortages are squeezing the system.

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“We’ve been telling the government that for years and years and years, and now we’re here,” Bitz said.

With union contract negotiations coming up, she hopes the Alberta government will aim to keep the workers they have now.

“We would really like them to respect and retain and recruit.”

The office of health minister Adriana LaGrange acknowledged there is room to bolster the system.

“Alberta’s government is committed to recruiting, retaining, and supporting nurses throughout the province,” LaGrange’s office said in a statement to CHAT News.

“We know more needs to be done, which is why we are taking action by conducting targeted recruitment to expand our health care workforce.”

Bitz said nurses are getting pushed to limit.

“Nurses are working short, some are mandated to stay 16 hours, not getting [their] vacation as well. Things like personal days we haven’t been granted due to the shortage,” she said.

“Nurses are burnt out, absolutely. Their morale’s down, you know, they want to give great care to all their patients. But with the shortage, it’s making it harder and harder to do.”

Doctors in August called on the Alberta government to act urgently to save a health care system on the brink of collapse that, if left without help, will cause Albertans to die unnecessarily.

Dr. Paul Parks, president of the Alberta Medical Association, said then that the ruling United Conservatives have failed to act on an overburdened acute care system that has “no more give.”

The Alberta government has insisted the health care system revamp will improve the lives of patients and those who care for them.

“Alberta’s government is refocusing the health care system to make it better for Albertans and the front-line workers who work tirelessly every day to serve their patients,” the health ministry said in its Wednesday statement.

“While we continue to take significant action to improve services, we will ensure that Alberta’s incredible frontline health care workers are supported, empowered, and informed as they work to provide the same excellent care to Albertans.”

Nurses are also concerned by the growth of private health care in Alberta.

“We want to see publicly-funded health care continue rather than privatization,” Bitz said  

“Public health care, it creates more of a fair [system], there’s no economic differences.”

CHAT News has contacted the health minister’s office for comment.