"Some have lost hope, some work in warehouses and factories": Shara Buenaventura, nurse
Shara Buenaventura, so frustrated to get her ICU nursing license recognized in Ontario, returned to the Philippines for nine months during the pandemic, I continued to hone my skills.
"I came back here as her ICU nurse, hoping to be appreciated. But until now no answer I didn't get any," said Buenaventura.
She now works part-time in non-ambulatory care, helping to transfer non-urgent patients from one hospital to another. Some days I go and it makes me really sad I know I can do more I know I can help I know what to do And it's frustrating It's sad and a little lonely to have your hands tied."
After years of working in ICUs in the Philippines and the Middle East, she said she could easily fill a similar role in Canada. say.
She has spent her three years working to gain recognition for her skills since she came to Canada ten years ago.
Buenaventura is a member of the Integrated Filipino-Canadian Nurses Association (IFCNA), which advocates for nurses who want to return to the profession.
``It's very frustrating. Some have decided to do it,” said IFCNA President Jennifer Lopez.
Her Estimate: Her organization has members who do not practice nursing. are about 2,000.
"I don't understand why we are under such a burden to want to intervene to help a health system that is in dire need of nurses," he said. Lopez, who works at the hospital, said. now.
"If health ministers are committed to public safety, patients will wait longer in emergencies and paramedics will wait longer to unload because there are not enough nurses. If so, where is public safety?”
Statistics Canada said in its latest employment report that there will be 23,620 vacant nursing positions nationwide in the first quarter of 2022. said there is.
It also states that nursing vacancies will occur in early 2022. is more than triple her five-year-old level (+219.8%), demonstrating how long-term trends contribute to the current challenges facing hospitals and other healthcare employers. is showing.
Given that shortage, Buenaventura does not understand the years of delay in recognizing foreign-trained nurses like her.
"I never got any answers until now. How frustrating it is," she said.
"Some have lost hope, some are working in warehouses and factories. Some have chosen other career paths."
slaurie@postmedia. com
@_ScottLaurie
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