Doug Ford’s War On Nursing Is Worse Than You Think
Canada needs a national health strategy.
Canada’s Northwest Territories contains 33 official communities stretched over 1.144 million square kilometres (442,000 square miles). There’s only one hospital, so accessing medical services isn’t as simple as calling an ambulance. Many locals still dial the municipal emergency number they were used to for decades before 911 service was finally introduced three years ago, although it certainly makes things easier for tourists. Even after the operator has identified which of the NWT’s 11 official languages they speak, callers fortunate enough to be within range of a cell tower when they need help may have trouble clarifying their location out on the land.
In distant Northern communities, a single nurse may be the only medical care available. Northern nurses are well paid and live in gorgeous environments, but also must be prepared to independently handle a broad variety of medical situations. They’ll commonly be required to provide obstetric and pediatric care, but basic training as a nurse doesn’t necessarily include any education at all on pregnancy care or medical issues specific to children. That’s why regulatory agencies like the Registered Nurses Association of the NWT and Nunavut exist. Nurses hoping to work in the North need to register with the agency…
