I was reading yesterdays local paper and came across a letter submitted by an area MLA. Some of the more rural hospitals in the area are short of nurses (no real news there) and one had to close it's acute care because they could not guarantee 24 hour nursing coverage. The MLA thought the provincial government as well as the refional health authority were not donig enough to secure RNs and suggested legislation could be changed to allow licensed practical nurses and emergency medical technicians to take over "on occassion".
We are nearing the end of 2006 and it is painful to see how little politicians understand regarding the role registered nurses have in securing the health and well being of patients (I hesitate to use the word "role" remembering how California's Governor Schwarzenegger referred to nurses as extras). Tomorrow I submit my own comment to the paper in an attempt to point out the the MLA the standards of practice health care professionals are governed by to ensure patient safety.
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