More cuts are underway to Winnipeg’s health care system.
17 nurse positions are being eliminated at Health Sciences Centre. One of them is the nurse specialist who helps burn victims at HSC. This nurse was responsible for educating others on top of the line care for burn patients. The Manitoba Fire Fighters Burn Fund said the job was critical in cutting down hospital admissions and infections.
"Politely I was disappointed okay, and confused and concerned," said chairperson Martin Johnson.
A similar position is being eliminated in HSC’s trauma unit.
The Winnipeg Regional health authority said it’s making tough decisions to make the system more efficient. It said these nurse specialists are not as hands-on as the frontline staff, and guidelines once developed by these local experts are now well known by existing nurses and managers that can fill the void without impacting patient care.
"There was some significant overlap in some of the roles and responsibilities for a number of different nursing positions," said Lori Lamont from the WRHA.
On top of this, a team of 15 HSC nurses that administer IVs is being phased out. The health authority said HSC was the only hospital in Manitoba that still had one of these teams, and adds this is part of a regular nurse's duties.
But the Manitoba Nurse’s Union said care could suffer by downloading more to overworked nurses.
“It is a front line service cut, it's a nurse providing care," said MNU President Sandi Mowat.
The cuts are part of an $83-million cost saving target mandated by the Pallister Government.
The WRHA said the latest measures are expected to save $1.2-million. It said the impacted nurses will be able to apply for other vacancies.
