More Registered Nurses Cut from The Ottawa Hospital: RNs gravely concerned as 25 more nursing cuts announced

OTTAWA, April 24, 2013 /CNW/ - Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) members are gravely concerned about the impact on patient care following the announcement of an additional 25 full-time-equivalent RN cuts at The Ottawa Hospital.

The Ottawa Hospital cut 290 positions in January, 90 of them nurses. The 25 RN cuts just announced are in addition to the previous cuts. In total, they represent the loss of almost 200,000 hours per year of nursing care.

"These latest RN cuts will mean less educator support for our front-line nurses in areas of the hospital such as the intensive care unit and emergency department, less care for cancer patients, where oncology beds are being closed and nurses cut, and cuts to neurology and neurosurgery," said ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN.

RN cuts are also being made in women's health and the eye clinic. RNs fear that there will be even more RN cuts in June as the hospital is currently "reviewing" its ambulatory care/outpatient unit.

"This is an untenable situation for the dedicated registered nurses working to care for patients in the Ottawa community," added Haslam-Stroud. "Morale is being devastated, RNs are deeply concerned about the impact on both their patients and colleagues, and they are deeply distressed by this news."

Haslam-Stroud urges Ottawa residents to voice their concern about these cuts to registered nursing positions by sending a message to the Premier and their local MPP.

"RNs on the front lines are the care providers who ensure their patients have positive health outcomes," she says. "There is no care without them, yet The Ottawa Hospital is continuing to cut the care out of the system. Our patients deserve better."

ONA is the union representing 60,000 front-line RNs, RPNs and allied health professionals and more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in Ontario hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, industry and clinics.

SOURCE: Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association

Sheree Bond    [phone], ext. 2430; cell: [phone]; [email protected]

Melanie Levenson   [phone], ext. 2369; [email protected]

Visit us at: www.ona.org; www.Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; www.Twitter.com/OntarioNurses