1y ago

Canada’s unfilled health-care jobs doubled since pandemic began: StatCan

globalnews.ca Canada’s unfilled health-care jobs doubled since pandemic began: StatCan - National | Globalnews.ca

The report shows the number of unfilled health-care jobs in Canada reached an all-time high in 2022 and that staff are missing an extra week on average due to illness.

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Huh. People saw how the government treated nurses and stopped wanting to be nurses. Whodathunkit?
- how the government treated nurses and stopped wanting to be nurses
  Not all government is conservative, so maybe that's a bit broad. But I'd also say all healthcare professionals.
- The nurse representative interviewed is from Quebec, and healthcare is a provincial matter, so I guess the government you refer to is the government of Quebec? Seems like a lot for a single province.
  The reality is that this is a country-wide problem, so it cannot be blamed on "the government". "The government" doesn't have power over the entire country. The country is split across many sub-sovereign jurisdictions.
  It more likely explained simply by a strong labour economy, giving healthcare workers more options than they have historically been accustomed to. The same story can be told in virtually every industry. If you wanted to, say, write an article about the state of restaurant jobs you could keep 95% of the content in this article.
  
  The governments then. 🙄
  
  That doesn't add up, then. Some of those governments have been treating nurses like shit for decades. Hell, in Ontario, the people vowed to never vote NDP again after what Rae did to nurses. Do you think would-be nurses were ever inclined to think that the OPC and Liberals will treat them better than the NDP? Of course not.
  
  It didn’t come to light for a lot of people until the pandemic. I’m not talking about nurses, I’m talking about kids that are deciding what career to get in to.
  Before the pandemic it was, “nursing is tough but a well-paying job.” Now it’s, “nurses get treated like shit you don’t want to do that.”
  
  I’m talking about kids that are deciding what career to get in to.
  Yes, me too. That is what a would-be nurse usually identifies as.
  There might have been still some roses and sunshine seen in public service positions 30 years ago, but people haven't felt that way in a long, long time. The pandemic changed nothing.
  
  I feel like you just want to win an argument. So ok cool you’re right you win. I’ve got shit to do. See ya.
  
  I don't follow. Winning an argument makes you the loser. If there is merit to what you say, I lose, not win. Therefore we can establish that there is no merit to the assertion.
  I feel like you just don't like people. As soon as someone talks to you, you run away. Work is, indeed, a good escape from people, and I hope you find solace in that. Until next time!
  
  I rode my motorcycle to a mountain and walked 10km to swim in a lake. I wish that was work.
  
  Did you know that the popular way to become a doctor is to first get into university as a nurse, then transfer to the doctor's course after the first year? It's well told and commonly accepted and done.
  Except for the fact that those nurses find out that not a single credit gotten in the nurse course can be applied to the doctor's course. Even worse, if you've started the nurse's course, you're barred from the doctor's course, even if you try to switch universities. This has been true for more than a decade (I know, because I knew someone who suffered this). At least Ontario is so starved for nurses that they teach you in high school to go to nurse school as a shortcut to get into a doctor's course if you don't get accepted the first try. A lie that is perpetuated because becoming a nurse is so unpopular.
  
  People are voting with their feet and not enough replacements are being generated. Call what you want to call it...
  Nothing good working conditions and strong pay can't fix... Am I right?
  
  People are voting with their feet and not enough replacements are being generated.
  With the average boomer turning 65 recently, retirement is more compelling than being a nurse, I'm sure. Of course, with the average boomer turning 65, their healthcare needs, statistically, starts to rise. That also means more jobs to fill.
  Nothing good working conditions and strong pay can’t fix… Am I right?
  No.
  The boomers aren't coming back from retirement in any meaningful numbers. No amount of improvement in working conditions or money is worth more than being retired. With them gone, there are not enough people to go around. Period.
  Everyone else is in an arm's race to win the few remaining workers left. Every attempt to improve pay and conditions means every other job will do the same, leaving a stalemate at best.
  The public sector cannot win that race. Healthcare isn't that valued. In Canada, we are not even willing to pay for it at all unless it is hidden in our tax bill where we don't notice the cost, and if you ever try to raise that tax bill – look out!
  
  Yea, the boomer retirement is really messing things up on every level.
  It doesn't help when Ford ignored nurse protest last year. Didn't he get into trouble with the courts with how he treated them at the time? Some sort of legislation he forced through that lowered their work conditions and gave pay cuts across the board turning out to be illegal?
  If that's not one of the most bald-faced display of disdain for one of the most critical workers in modern society (outside of China that is), I don't know what is.
  
  Bootlicker spotted...
  Thanks for confirming!
  
  And thank you for not replying with anything of substance! I know how much education is hated around here and I was growing worried that you might contribute to providing one, upsetting the locals.
  
  I don't engage with bad faith actors and their teevee talking points.
  Employer needs wage slaves, it can compete on wages.
  Shiti emoloyers don't get wage slaves... This is economics 101.
  Learn to business chief.
  
  While your Econ 101 is on point, perhaps you don't understand what competition means?
  As soon as nursing employers offer a better deal, those who sucked up the nurses in the meantime will match – or even beat – it, giving no reason for those workers to change gears. Nursing will not win as it is not valued like other professions. The companies which are valued have bottomless pits of money to throw at people. The healthcare industry does not.
  
  Maybe I am bias from US... But we spend enough money for nurses to have a living wage. They just don't get the money because rent seekers and money changers leech it all up.
  I am sure you get these guys in Canada too, could start with cutting them out ;)
  
  Nurses are predominantly hired by the government. There is probably some bureaucratic fat in there, but probably not as much as you might think. If all the government revenue in this province went directly to the currently employed nurses – leaving nothing for doctors, hospitals, transit, roads, etc. – we could still only double their incomes. There isn't that much money to go around.
  Which brings us back to:
  and if you ever try to raise that tax bill – look out!
  
  No money, no honey. Why should working person provide medical services to bunch of mostly old clowns at reduced wage?
  Boomers could do all of us a favour and die tho, would fix many of these issues we are having.

24 comments