Paula Doucet is the president of the New Brunswick Nurses Union. (Image: Tara Clow)
Like many health care professionals on the frontlines, nurses are feeling exhausted after 13 months of working during a global pandemic.
New Brunswick Nurses Union president Paula Doucet says a chronic shortage of R.N.’s means existing nurses are asked to work exorbitant amounts of overtime.
“One more event like the one we’re experiencing now in the Edmundston Zone 4 region and I really feel that this health care system may crumble down around us.”
She thinks the military could be called in similar to what happened in Ontario and Quebec last year.
“You can only ask someone to give so much of themselves without allowing them to recharge and rejuvenate… and right now our health care system is being held together by exhausted bodies.”
Doucet adds the nursing shortage began long before COVID-19 and says New Brunswick is competing with the other provinces in trying to attract nurses.
