Hello, and welcome to episode 30 of The Nurse Trauma Healing Podcast. I’m Dr. Lorre Laws, your host, and today we’ll be discussing the challenges and successes that Canadian nurses are experiencing. As a nurse scholar and educator, I’ve examined the health systems for most developed countries with curiosity about how nurses are experiencing their roles in different types of health delivery systems.
The bottom line is this – nurses worldwide, independent of the type of system in which they practice or the organizational charts that inform delivery and policy – they are being marginalized, oppressed, and are often working in dangerous conditions and staffing ratios. This really speaks to the avoidable historical nurse trauma that is deeply embedded in the structures and cultures within health systems and the community at-large. Let’s check in with the Canadian nurses and share their stories, their experiences so we can all connect in a heart-centered manner as we embark upon our individual and collective healing journey.
To provide context, let’s first review the key demographics for the international nursing crisis, as shown in this infographic:
After reviewing a stack of reports and new articles, the first hand accounts from nurses mirror those that I’ve reported in prior episodes. The unsafe and often toxic work systems and cultures, the dangerous staffing ratios, the below-market wages that don’t even begin to keep up with the inflationary cost of living, nurses bringing in their own supplies from home – not for medical care per se – but to create comfort packs for a patient’s loved ones as the patient approaches their end of life transition.
These factors and more have led to nurses in Canada, like everywhere else, to be overworked, over stressed, burned out, and outright traumatized in their roles. The Canadian Mental Health Association reports that one in every five Canadians (including nurses, for whom the statistics are much higher) experience a mental health issue each year.
According to a recent survey by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), 60% of Canadian nurses reported experiencing high levels of burnout – which, as you likely know by now, is actually the tip of the bigger, root cause iceberg of nurse-specific traumatization. Additionally, 50% of nurses reported feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, while 41% reported feeling anxious or depressed . . .also symptoms of nurse-specific traumatization.
Top 10 Concerns of Nurses in Canada
- Staffing and Workload Challenges: Nurses in Ontario and Canada are facing severe understaffing, leading to heavy workloads, burnout, and concerns about patient safety. This is a form of avoidable nurse-specific traumatization that must be addressed.
- Compensation and Benefits: Nurses are seeking fair and competitive compensation, as well as improved benefits and retirement packages. This reflects the historical legacies of historical nurse-specific, patriarchal trauma that is embedded in all health systems worldwide.
- Access to Mental Health Support: The pandemic has taken a significant toll on the mental health of nurses, who are calling for better access to counseling, therapy, and other support services. Nurses are among the high risk trauma exposure professions, right up there with first responders and combat military personnel. Lack of mental health resources is a form of avoidable insufficient resource trauma.
- Workplace Violence and Harassment: Nurses report facing increased incidents of violence and harassment from patients, visitors, and even colleagues, which impacts their well-being and job satisfaction. I’ve recorded many podcasts on this topic. Workplace violence is also a form of nurse-specific traumatization. It’s also avoidable. At the top of every employer’s priority list should be a safe workplace for nurses and other health professionals.
- Lack of Autonomy and Decision-Making Power: Nurses want to have a greater voice in policy decisions and a more active role in shaping the healthcare system. This reflects the historical practice of nurses being placed in a subordinate, disempowered role to serve and sacrifice without contributing their vast knowledge, wisdom, and full ability to facilitate healing as licensed to do so.
- Continuing Education and Professional Development: Nurses seek opportunities for ongoing training, skill development, and career advancement to enhance their practice. As part of the legacy of historical nurse trauma, there is an implicit barrier for nurses to take their position at the decision-making table – even when they are masters- or doctorally-prepared to contribute and advocate for the profession. Nurses are frequently shut out or denied access to high-level meetings that influence nurse staffing, patient care, safety, and quality of care. It’s easier for the organization to treat nurses like healthcare wait staff rather than the essential linchpin to care delivery.
- Nursing Staffing Shortages and Retention: The nursing profession is experiencing high turnover rates, leading to concerns about the sustainability of the healthcare workforce. As I’ve discussed ad nauseum in prior podcasts, the staffing shortages and retention challenges are secondary to the inordinate and avoidable trauma exposures, starting with dangerous nurse-patient ratios, workplace violence and incivilities, limited resources, and a system that inflict trauma rather than preventing it. These and other avoidable nurse-specific trauma exposures are what is driving nurses from the profession. It’s not just burnout.
- Occupational Health and Safety: Nurses are advocating for better protection from physical and biological hazards, such as the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and infectious diseases. Aside from the workplace violence, there are a myriad of other occupational health hazards – including all the EMFs, chemicals, and biological hazards.
- Chronic Underfunding of the Healthcare System: Nurses are concerned about the impact of healthcare budget cuts on patient care and their working conditions. The Canadian healthcare system is a publicly funded Medicare model wherein physicians, as is the case here in the U.S., are paid on a fee-for service basis whereas nurses are compensated by salaries, highlighting the systemic oppression of nurses as evidenced by their services not similarly being valued in a fee-for-service model. Historical nurse-specific trauma in action. How would healthcare delivery and costs look if all interprofessional team members were paid in the same structure? There are many lobbying groups that are very, very well paid to ensure that never happens . . .
- Lack of Diversity and Inclusivity: Nurses want to see more representation and support for marginalized groups within the nursing profession. Nurses from marginalized and underrepresented groups, such as racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those with disabilities, are at a higher risk of experiencing psychological trauma in the workplace. The nursing workplace culture and environment play a significant role in either promoting or mitigating the risk of psychological trauma. The underrepresentation of diverse voices and perspectives in nursing leadership and decision-making may contribute to a lack of understanding and prioritization of the specific trauma-related needs of nurses from marginalized groups. In short, lack of diversity and inclusivity in nursing may exacerbate the intersectional challenges faced by nurses from multiple marginalized groups, leading to a higher risk of cumulative trauma exposure.
The Ontario Nurses Association Advocates . . .and Wins their Conciliation
The Ontario Nurses’ Association recently secured a significant victory for registered nurses and registered practical nurses at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, with a new three-year collective agreement that addresses key issues such as fair wages and flexible working hours. After two rounds of conciliation and public information pickets, nurses achieved wage increases of 8.5 per cent over three years and secured language around flexible working hours. This victory showcases the power of nurses coming together and advocating for fair treatment and compensation, ultimately allowing them to continue providing high-quality care to residents in need. The Ontario Nurses’ Association continues to champion the rights and well-being of nurses across the province, representing a strong voice for healthcare professionals in various settings.
It is clear that nurses in the United States can learn a great deal from their Canadian counterparts. The challenges faced by nurses in Canada, such as staffing and workload issues, compensation concerns, access to mental health support, workplace violence, and lack of diversity and inclusivity, mirror many of the struggles experienced by nurses in the U.S. By partnering with and learning from Canadian nurses, U.S. nurses can gain valuable insights into how to address these common issues and advocate for positive change within their own healthcare system.
The recent victory secured by the Ontario Nurses’ Association serves as a powerful example of what can be achieved through collective action and advocacy. By coming together and standing up for their rights, nurses in Canada were able to secure fair wages, flexible working hours, and improved working conditions. This victory highlights the importance of solidarity and unity among nurses in the fight for better treatment, compensation, and support. As the podcast comes to a close, it is clear that by working together and learning from one another, nurses in both Canada and the U.S. can create a stronger, more supportive, and more trauma-informed healthcare system for all.
Exciting Announcement: Container Expansion for Trauma Healing Podcasts and Academies
I am thrilled to announce that my container is expanding to provide trauma healing podcasts and healing academies for everyone. This podcast is now Healing Trauma with Dr. Lorre and will continue to support nurses and individuals worldwide with essential resources and guidance.
But that’s not all! I will also be adding a Healing Trauma Academy with Dr. Lorre that offers trauma healing services from the intersection of spirituality and science. This academy is now open to adults globally, with plans to serve children and adolescents in the future.
The Healing Trauma Academy will draw upon my expertise as a nurse scholar and educator to deliver comprehensive, evidence-based programs that facilitate holistic healing. Whether you are a healthcare professional, a trauma survivor, or simply someone seeking personal growth, this academy will provide the tools, support, and community you need to navigate your healing journey.
Stay tuned for more details on the Healing Trauma Academy’s curriculum, enrollment, and upcoming events. This expansion is an exciting step forward in my mission to empower individuals and communities to heal from trauma and cultivate greater well-being. I look forward to welcoming you to this transformative new offering.
Until next time, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to my nonprofit organization, The Haelan Academy, so we may continue to offer trauma healing academy scholarships for those in need. If you’d like to learn more about how I can serve you or your organization, please schedule a call with me. I have amassed over five years of research and hundreds of resources to support you or your team in the healing process.
Until next time, thank you for all that you are and do.
I see you.
I feel you.
I hear you.
And I am here for you.
From my healer’s heart to yours,
Dr. Lorre 💕
