Ottawa paramedic union sounds alarm about high stress levels, low morale
It is an incredibly difficult time to be an Ottawa paramedic, the union representing them says. Stress levels are high, morale is low.
The service reached ‘Level Zero’ hundreds of times in 2021, meaning in those moments there was a critical shortage of ambulances available.
Staff shortages, increased workload and the fear of catching COVID are all taking their toll.
“We have heard loud and clear from the CUPE 503 paramedic services group, that morale has plummeted and stress levels are through the roof,” says Carrie Lynn Poole-Cotnam, Treasurer at CUPE 503, the union that represents Ottawa paramedics.
“Our members feel that they are not able to meet the needs of the residents of Ottawa. And that there is little hope that their issues, when it comes to working conditions and resolving these systemic issues for the service, is possible.”
Earlier this month, Mayor Jim Watson and Coun. Matthew Luloff sent a letter to Ontario’s health minister asking for help with Ottawa’s health care system and staff shortages.
“These are incredible hard working people. And they’re there for us at such a critical moment,” Luloff said. “The chronically underfunded healthcare system has had a significant impact on our staff, and a significant impact on our service. Which again, in turn, in this awful feedback loop, has an impact on our staff.”
What’s called “offloading” is time-consuming. When paramedics bring a patient to the hospital, they have to wait until that patient is seen by hospital staff, sometimes for hours, before moving on to the next call.
“When there’s a backlog or when there are no nurses available to do that transfer or exchange of the patient, that’s why our members have to continue to maintain the care of that patient,” Poole-Cotnam said.
Luloff is asking the province to fund and hire new nursing and doctor positions, saying hospitals have done their part by adding space and extra beds, but there is no one to staff them.
“Paramedics are out there every single day, working their butts off, and they’re taking care of patients at the hospital as well,” he said. “This is not a problem with the Ottawa paramedic service. These are incredibly dedicated and hard-working people. And they are getting burnt out by this.”
“It has escalated to the point where if you drive by the Civic Hospital on any given day, there may be 10 paramedic ambulances sitting waiting for that patient exchange to take place,” Poole-Cotnam said.
The union says the province has to act now before more paramedics are driven out of the field.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.