Temporary health centre closures expected in Kinngait, Arctic Bay
Health Department cites difficulty in securing relief staff over holiday
The Government of Nunavut is warning that health centres in Arctic Bay and Kinngait may be closed for a time over the Christmas holidays. (File photo by David Venn)
Nunavut’s Department of Health is warning of possible health centre closures in at least two communities over the Christmas holiday period.
The department is “projecting closures” in Kinngait and Arctic Bay due to difficulty securing relief staff and a national health-care worker shortage, it said in a public service announcement Wednesday.
The Kinngait closure is expected to last from Dec. 21 to 24 while Arctic Bay’s closure is expected to last from Dec. 28 to Jan. 2.
While the health centres are closed, the Government of Nunavut is offering virtual health care and paramedic services to communities.
“Calls may be automatically forwarded to other communities, and callers are asked not to hang up if there are delays while the call is connecting,” the announcement said.
“During temporary closures, paramedics are on site to provide emergency or life-threatening care.”
The GN is also advising people to get their prescriptions refilled before the closures take effect to avoid delays, and noted these closures are subject to change.
It’s almost as if Nunavut has too many communities.
It’s obvious to many of us, but a taboo to bring up in ‘serious’ circles for various reasons.
Yeah hey? Why can’t we do forced relocations? Move people and shit down all these excessive communities. What can possibly go wrong?
The fact remains and will always remain that Nunavut has too many tiny, pointless communities that function more like miniature prisons for inhabitants, and massive drains on limited resources. Worse, they are exquisitely challenged in attracting skilled workers from the outside world, which they will always need.
But yea, ‘forced relocation bad’.
In the real world the shuttering of living dead communities like these was and remains common. I would consider doing so a humanitarian act.
So much for big bonuses and higher pay to nurses will stop health center closures ehh
While our current salary offerings are substantial, they are becoming less competitive in attracting the talent we need, especially compared to nursing positions in the southern regions. RNs in these areas are beginning their careers with salaries from $80,000, often working within larger teams and enjoying the flexibility to take time off. In contrast, our salaries range from $109,000 to $120,000, but this comes with significant drawbacks. Our nurses don’t have the luxury of returning home after their shifts; they face extended periods away from family, higher living costs, and extremely demanding workloads, often leading to exhaustion. Additionally, they frequently encounter abuse from patients.
Historically, working in Nunavut offered a significant financial incentive, often double the salary available in the south, to compensate for these challenging conditions.
However, as this pay differential narrows, it’s becoming imperative to reevaluate our approach. We must either substantially improve working conditions or offer higher compensation to continue attracting and retaining skilled nursing professionals
You are wrong once again. What you are recommending appears so right, but it’s unfortunately a bandage solution for the future, as this whole shortage of staff, will go and come, and go more often than come. The solution, and I’m will to argue that’s an only way solution, is: for more education in the regional and local people. Many areas of this country have been through similar challenges in history, but they invested in seriously getting people to become educated, and take a self sufficient take over of running the community, and region, from within. Education within the local population needed.
What bonuses? LPNs don’t get bonuses. A massive differential remains between RNs and LPNs, which means those positions aren’t being staffed. Most nurses do a single contract, and are bullied out.
The Department of EDUCATION needs to review if actual programs are delivered as expected (ACADEMIC PROGRAM’s) that is relevant to POST-SECONDARY to further EDUCATION to pursue Nursing or to become a Doctor:
– Inuktitut (bilingual)
– English Grammar (how to read & write)
– Mathematics
– General science
The basic’s that should be actually taught in classes, and certainly NOT text books that is/ are NOT relevant to EDUCATION i.e. full-time scale of cultural programs that is NOT related to learning in classes, which perhaps could be taught after school hours!?! What is academic programs?
What is John’s legacy in Health? A lesson learned in PR on how to respond to investigative journalism into HR processes that fail staff. Also the guy who raised nursing salaries but has the highest number of closures in recent memory.
.
John you need to bow out since you’ve failed to identify that your department’s handicap is it’s senior management who continue to ensure working at the GN is the most toxic place to be. It is incredible that with this poor performance that you’ll probably approve performance bonuses for your Directors and ADMs.
How ’bout we Eskimos produce our own Doctor and nurse, rather than constantly blaming Qallunaaq and Residential School.
I thought Eskimos were tough and could kill a polar bear with a knife and harpoon. (I guess he left the building)