The Crisis of Convergence
There are many who see the future as a bleak one. I would like to remain optimistic, while struggling with “knowing too much”. I would not necessarily understand the challenges ahead in simply being a health care professional. I would have to say the notion that I am also in the “business” of life coaching, fitness and weight management, that leads me to learning opportunities where I get to see trends and life-ways for many individuals. Currently the mere ‘busy’-ness of life has people apathetic to the realities all around them, and they often cannot move in any direction as this “inertia” has left them, frozen, neither are they open, or interested in change.
The convergence of this ‘apathetic’ position, partly due to discouragement and message of “you are not valued”, that came with early stages of amalgamation and downsizing was “seared” into the consciousness of every nurse that can reflect the message of the then Premier of Ontario, Mike Harris, when he publicly disclosed thoughts and feelings that “nurses should take a 20% pay cut”. Imagine if someone suggested that for you, and your profession. I know I am one who teaches that we should move past issues…to not look on the past, but toward a positive and preferred future…while I also am a “historian”, valuing the lessons of the past. The “seeds of bitterness and resentment” were sown quite heavily during the 1990’s, most nurses who “lived” through these times…again reflect on “their past reality” with much resentment, …feelings of powerlessness and progression toward burn-out, care-giver stress…musculo- skeletal health and emotional health…deeply compromised…was the new reality. Much of this persists today. Nurses are the most “un-well” workforce. Sad legacy for the “care-givers”…the front-line and backbone of our beloved Medicare.
Dr. Heather Lanschinger, Judith Shamian, Linda O’brien-Pallas and their many colleagues can be credited with illuminating the many issues associated with work-place cultures and the sheer demand of the job.
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There are multiple dimensions to the aspects of “convergence”. We are passing through an era, never seen before, never experienced by the Health Care system…or the recipient of care…the patient. There is a HUGE retirement wave…corresponding with a HUGE wave of “new recruits”, with higher education acquirement…younger and many unmarried, newly married and very much ready to transition soon after employment to “serial maternity leaves”. The aging population looms…with the baby-boomer demographic soon to demand more from our “over-taxed”, over-burdened Health Care system. The “Peak” years for this very long drawn out retirement wave is 2010-2011. This is still 3-4 years of “progressive deepening” of the crisis that already exits.
The time is now..to act..not to study or plan. There is a major solution to be enacted NOW, the fear is that there will be “too little-too late” on the policies and government actions to decrease the impact. There has been significant increases to enrollment, Illuminating another crisis within the crisis. The shortage of qualified instructors and professors of nursing…and a HUGE shortage of “Quality” clinical placements for this ever increasing co-hort of students.
As a consumer of health care…as a citizen of this province (there will be increasing competition from other provinces to compound the draw/drain from the U.S. and now a dozen other developed countries. English speaking countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland…are campaigning heavily to entice our Degree Prepared Graduates. New- Grad initiatives are a start.
As an instructor for these upcoming graduates, and as a father of a Nursing student, I know the initiatives well. I am deeply attached on a very emotional level, what the future holds for my own daughter. As a demonstrated, dedicated advocate for students over the past 4 years, through two different faculty, I am envisioning a future…one that is beyond my retirement. I have now been affiliated (practicing or teaching for nearly a dozen different Hospitals Long Term Care Centre and agencies where nurses and Nurse Practitioners are being utilized. I have a very broad perspective. Having worked in the U.S. also advantages me in knowing what is “good” applications for us in Canada and what would be undesirable.
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