Cuts Like A Scalpel

60 Replies to “Cuts Like A Scalpel”

1. I thought the Sask Party was above negative ads? Why don’t they provide a solution on top of hilighting the problem…..though if we are judging based on its negativity, its much better then the NDPs wolf-in-sheep’s-clothing ad.

2. “I hear the Oil’s acomming.. comming ’round the bend But I ain’t seen the sunhine since..”
   oops wrong song.
   Come and listen to a story about a man named Jed
   A poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed,
   Then one day he was shootin at some food,
   And up through the ground came a bubblin crude.
   Oil that is, black gold, Texas tea.
   Well the first thing you know ol Jed’s a millionaire,
   Kinfolk said “Jed move away from there”
   Said “Californy is the place you ought to be”
   So they loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly.
   Hills, that is. Swimmin pools, movie stars.
   Well now its time to say good by to Jed and all his kin.
   And they would like to thank you folks fer kindly droppin in.
   You’re all invited back a gain to this locality
   To have a heapin helpin of their hospitality
   Hillybilly that is. Set a spell, Take your shoes off.
   Y’all come back now, y’hear?.

3. There seems to be some misunderstanding on here about the closures. These hospitals weren’t CLOSED by the NDP. Rather, services were suspended temporarily due to a lack of either doctors or nurses or both. As such, there isn’t a question about whether the Sask Party would reopen them or not. Indeed, they aren’t permanently closed.
   The question is what will be done to deal with the staffing shortage. TODD, to FINALLY answer your question, the Saskatchewan Party has outlined its plan for increasing educational seats for doctors and nurses in the province. It is outlined here: http://www.saskparty.com/healthcare.html.

4. “Staffing problems” are generally nurses. There is a price at which doctors will kick the doors down to work in your small town, but nursing is short everywhere. Its a crappy job and the education requirement is far too high for the pay scale.
   Which can be fixed by going back to the two-year nursing certificate. You don’t need a Masters to be a nurse. Just relax the regulations, allow people to buy stuff with their own money, get some private insurance going.
   But staying with the single payer system? Nuh uh. Not going to happen.

5. Just like to point out something we noticed at work last night: Who works in CamSASK? Pretty major spelling error. Sadly, not my eagle eyes.

6. Ontario is on a gleeful hospital building spree.
   We expect taxes to increase again soon to pay for all the architectural dreams.
   Still not enough doctors.
   Of course this was not discussed in the recent election. At least it is the forefront in the Sask election.

7. The Phantom ht the nail on the head. This nursing shortage is directly due to the increase in educational requirements to become an RN. I worked in the health care field for 28 years when this phenomena occurred. I myself was incredulous. I would tell people that just by doing some simple math I determined that this move would create massive shortages of nurses in this country. You look at the simple fact that a training period that went from 2 years to 4-5 years( not to mention the increased cost and lost income) excludes many individuals who either can not or will not commit to that length of training. You also have to look at the difference in the training . The two year diploma nurses were primarily trained in the art of nursing . They did not have to waste their time in all the peripheral baggage that goes with a university degree . The individuals that took the two year program actually wanted to be bed side nurses and they knew what they were getting into. There was never any evidence that they were not adequately prepared to do the job. Junior nurses needed further on the job training but that is the case with any field. You really learn the job by doing it and working with experienced, patient people.The 2 year Grads wrote and passed the same RN exams as the University Grads.
   The push for eliminating the 2 year programs came from the upper echelons of the Nursing Profession. I really don’t know what they were thinking but they obviously were living in some delusional state. If some wet behind the ears 26(me) year old tech could predict what is happening today, in spades why couldn’t all these super educated people foresee the current disaster.
   I wonder how of these nurses remember the predictions I made and how they scoffed at my arguments.
   The Nursing Association throughout Canada have done a great disservice to the people of this country and their own members. I hope this keeps them up at night.

8. Right on LO!
   Someone else said..”Who wants to empty bedpans after 4 years of University?”
   They become clipboard queens…expensive admin, policy makers, not wanted on the ‘floors’.
   BTW they aren’t the ones that admin cut when hospital budgets were cut.

9. Lakeshore you’re absolutely right. The 4 year program is too long. 2 years worked quite fine.

10. Our nurses are the 2nd highest paid in Canada our LPN’s are the highest paid. Wages aren’t the problem.