Winnipeg hospital says doctors are now helping sexual assault examination program
Manitoba's largest hospital has brought in reinforcements following the resignation of several nurses from a provincial program that serves sexual assault victims.
Doctors and nurse practitioners have agreed to fill in temporarily as needed so that the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, or SANE, program at the Health Sciences Centre can continue to operate with fewer interruptions.
"There is a significant number of people that have stepped forward so we will be able to commit to filling those gaps as best we can," Jennifer Cumpsty, the hospital's executive director of acute health services, said Thursday.
The SANE program relies on casual nurses who normally work in other areas and agree to pick up shifts. They examine victims and collect physical evidence of sexual assault.
Last year, the Progressive Conservative government announced plans to expand the service so that it would be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The government has also moved to hire permanent nurses for the program and has filled six of seven positions, with most new hires requiring training that is still underway.
The Manitoba Nurses Union has been sounding the alarm for several months over the program's staffing levels. It said earlier this year that some sexual assault victims were being told to not shower and to come back later because no one was available to examine them.
On Tuesday, there was a 16-hour gap when no nurse was available, the union said.
Seven of the 13 casual nurses have resigned this week. Cumpsty said she learned of the latest resignation Thursday morning and planned to talk to the departing nurses later in the day about their reasons for leaving.
The Opposition New Democrats said the nurses are quitting because they feel overwhelmed and unsupported by the government.
"SANE nurses have told us they resigned because they can no longer enable a system that doesn't support them or their patients," NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said.
Health Minister Audrey Gordon said the government is improving the service by switching to permanent nurses and round-the-clock care.
Cumpsty said the program has had service gaps in previous years, at times when no casual nurses were available for shifts. Casual nurses who applied for permanent positions were offered them, but only one accepted, she added.
The first batch of new permanent nurses should be fully trained and on the job by early June, Cumpsty said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 23, 2023
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca