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
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.
Why your airfare may be getting more expensive
Skyrocketing airfare prices are linked to heightened competition and rising food and fuel, according to the CAA.