Nurses cut, but costs not, says Health PEI

Registered nurse positions are being cut across P.E.I., but there won't be any money saved, says the new agency responsible for health care delivery in the province.

Health PEI released some details of the new model of care being implemented in the province on Wednesday. In a ceremony was held at Wedgewood Manor, the agency outlined how positions are being shuffled to try to make more staff available to residents.

Keith Dewar, CEO designate of Health PEI, said there will be three fewer RN positions at the manor, 1.8 fewer licensed practical nurses, and 18 more resident care workers.

"If you were present in a manor and you had more people spending more time with you, helping you get up, helping you do some of your daily living, providing different opportunities for you, it sounds like it should improve care," said Dewar.

No one lost a job, said Dewar, because the positions have been reduced through vacancies and retirements, and because of the extra resident care workers there will be no savings.

Barbara Brookins, president of the PEI Nurses' Union, said this is just a small part of the nursing cuts being made.

"The surgical unit at Prince Country Hospital [in Summerside] is seeing the loss of two; unit three, which is a medical unit at [Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Charlottetown], is seeing a loss of 9.4 full-time equivalents; and 4.2 at Kings County [in Montague]," said Brookins.

"In every one of the showcase units, the way the employer is looking at revising the model of care is being done so with a deletion of registered nurses."

Brookins said she thinks it's all about saving money.