71% of RPNs have experienced a breaking point from their job during the pandemic.
We know that the pandemic has had a tremendous toll on thousands of nurses who are committed to delivering care to Ontarians. In December 2020, we asked Ontario RPNs to participate in a survey to better understand the personal and professional impacts that COVID-19 has had on the lives of so many.
This study – the first of its kind in Ontario, entitled: “Wellness, workload and wages – How RPNs are personally coping amid the pandemic,” highlighted realities for nurses both at work and at home since the pandemic hit the province in March of last year. Our goal was to raise awareness about the unique experiences of RPNs and showcase the essential contributions they continue to make to the province’s health system. Our report also included a call to government, urging them to address the concerns voiced by RPNs.
These are some of the highlights.
While 67 percent of Ontario’s RPNs say they’ve never been more proud to be a nurse, 71 percent also reported experiencing a breaking point related to their job over the past several months.
The dire mental health toll and financial stressors on nurses have been further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic: with one in three nurses (34 percent) considering leaving the profession.
While we know that Ontarians have always felt a deep sense of gratitude for the dedicated work of our nurses, this study underscores the need for all of us to galvanize our gratitude into immediate and long-term policies that better support nurses.
WeRPN and other nursing associations and health care partners have been warning about the consequences of Ontario’s nursing shortage. There is also public consensus that Ontario is already facing nursing shortages and has been for some time. According to a January 2020 Omnibus poll conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum,
95 percent of Ontarians expressed a desire to see more nurses hired to meet the growing needs of the province, especially for its ageing population.
Top finding from the survey. Here’s what you told us:
Separated from family:
83 percent of nurses reported reducing the time they spend with their immediate family due to concerns about exposing loved ones to the coronavirus from their work.
Increased workload, reduced wages:
90 percent of nurses said their workload has increased since COVID-19 became a reality, while 57 percent are experiencing financial stress as a result of the pandemic. In addition, close to a third (32 percent) of nurses have had to leave a job (pick one job over another) due to necessary but personally challenging government policies restricting many nurses to one workplace. Incidentally, Ontario’s personal support workers (PSWs) recently received a temporary pay increase by the government to support retention and recognize the important work they do. However, this wage increase was not extended to RPNs for their crucial contributions, which in many cases are taking place within the same environments.
Exponentially more stressed, without adequate mental health support:
Nearly all (96 percent) said their daily experiences at work have become exponentially more stressful due to the presence of COVID-19 in the province. Eighty-three percent feel like their mental health has been adversely affected by their work, but even more alarmingly, 67 percent say they don’t have adequate mental health support to face the second wave of COVID-19.
Many of you shared your personal stories, and these relay not only tears of heartbreak but also of real humanity and hope. Below are excerpts:
Doing what needs to be done:
“I slept underneath a desk, as I couldn’t leave the nursing home because there were too many critical patients that needed my attention, and we had no staff. I’ve had to be a caregiver, a nurse, housekeeper, family, friend, dietitian and even infection control lead.”
Personal sacrifices with long-term consequences:
“I’m a single mom. When COVID-19 hit in March, I moved to my parents’ apartment, and they moved to my house to care for my 3-year-old. It was devastating to us all. I stayed away until COVID-testing was opened to anyone, and I could be sure that I was not infected. But my daughter now suffers from separation anxiety and sleep issues.”
Witnessing final good-byes and supporting loved ones:
“I have held hands with those dying alone.” Another respondent shared: “We provide support to families whose loved ones are dying or who have died. That for me is heroic- keeping it together as a nurse and not breaking down in front of family members.”
A separate study conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum in December 2020, revealed an overwhelming majority of Ontarians (94 percent) recognize nurses have had increased stressors put on their mental health amid COVID-19. Further, 90 percent of respondents want nurses to receive additional mental health support.
WeRPN is urging both the public and policymakers to show Ontario’s amazing frontline caregivers that we as a society will take care of them, too – especially as they need it most right now.
WeRPN is also asking our government to prioritize the critical challenges facing nurses. Based on the survey findings, the association’s top asks of policymakers are to:
1. Continue the swift rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, so healthcare workers and residents/patients are protected, with immediate priority given to those who are most at risk or in high-risk settings.
2. Create more full-time positions for nurses and ensure RPNs are fairly compensated for the integral work that they do.
3. Enhance retention of the nursing workforce by creating more opportunities for continuing education and career advancement.
4. Enhance mental health supports for nurses and their fellow healthcare workers, specifically, to address the significant mental and emotional toll brought on by COVID-19, which will linger long after the pandemic is over.
5. Leverage the unique experience and expertise of nurses on the front lines by ensuring that their voices are foundational to any future consultations and decision making on healthcare reform and policy in Ontario.
