Miguel Agawin
News Reporter

The provincial government’s announcement of delays in hiring thousands of nurses in order to offset a projected deficit is causing worry in the nursing community.
 “We’re already in a shortage for nurses,” said Kathleen White-Williams, bachelor of nursing co-ordinator.
The announcement, made last week by the Ontario government, said the delay of hiring 9,000 nurses will help the province save $50-million this year as they face a $500-million deficit caused by a decrease in economic growth.
White-Williams said that although the economy is a huge factor in what’s happening right now, the fact is, people are still going to get sick.
“By not hiring the nurses as promised, the health of Ontarians will not get better with less care providers,” she said.
Ashley Misurka, Laboratory Technologist at Sheridan College, said the delay is ridiculous and agrees there is a shortage.
Misurka, a registered practical nurse at Scarborough General, said that 90 per cent of the time, unless you arrive in a stretcher, you can expect to wait at least four hours in emergency.
She said the delay would cause more leaves due to physical and mental stress as nurses are forced to take on a bigger work load and  handle more patients on their own.
She said that nurses relationships with doctors would be replacedto quick, meaningless meetings.
“It’s a revolving door – patients come back because they’re not treated properly the first time,” said Misurka.
Humber President John Davies said it would be easier for nursing students to be employed if there was no delay in expansion. Still, almost all of last June’s nursing graduates found employment.
He said many jobs will open up as baby boomer’s retire and need replacing.
Second-year nursing student Stephanie Leclair, 20, who has her placement at Trillium Hospital in Mississauga, said patients keep telling her there isn’t enough care and they need more nurses.
“It’s not fair,” she said.
With all this economic uncertainty that’s rippled down to Ontario’s health care system, White-Williams’ message to students is to be very optimistic.
“There are always challenges that will have to be faced and right now we have an economic crisis but that doesn’t mean we lose sight of our focus and goal, which is to be a registered nurse.”