A Calgary licensed practical nurse is speaking out — on the verge of quitting the job she loves — saying not enough is being done to improve working conditions.
That is the biggest reason the province’s registered nurses have cited for turning down a recent contract offer, and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are also fighting the battle.
“I’m trying to look at finding other career options which is unfortunate because I absolutely love the job I’m in and I love the patients that I care for,” the nurse said.
CityNews is identifying the nurse as Jane because even though she feels forced to look for another profession, she’s worried she’ll be fired for speaking out.
Despite the province’s moves to hire more nurses, she says they’re not seeing an improvement on the frontline.
“We’re getting more complex patients, we’re getting more complex medical histories, we’re getting more complex comorbidities that are going on, and the more complex that it’s getting, the more time it takes that you’re spending with these individuals,” Jane said. “So you’re lacking time to bounce around so many people that you’re trying to help.”
READ MORE: Alberta nurses reject latest contract offer, move one step closer to strike vote
Jane suffers from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as do many others she works with, because of the trauma and burnout — going home crying, exhausted and unable to cope.
As they fight for improved worked conditions, LPNs continue their battle to move to the same union as registered nurses, thinking their voices will be stronger together. The Labour Relations Board turned them down late last year.
“We’re working harder because we don’t have the right patient to staff ratios, we’re working through our lunch breaks, we’re getting denied our overtime,” Jane said. “We’re being told we need to ask for help but there’s no one to help us.
“You’re going home absolutely gassed and crying and you’re bringing work home with you when you shouldn’t be because it’s just draining you so much, you don’t have energy when you get home to spend time with the people that you love, you’re sleeping so much, you’re just trying to take care of yourself and eat and drink water.
“We don’t have the capacity to take care of ourselves either.”
LPNs for Change, a grassroots group advocating for the rights of licensed practical nurses says despite doing near identical work to registered nurses (RNs), LPNs make at least 35 per cent less.
The group says LPNs are “misclassified” in the Auxiliary Nursing Care bargaining unit, which gives them less bargaining power compared to other nurses classified in the Direct Nursing Care bargaining unit.
“The Alberta Government is aware of what LPNs are capable of doing and has been knowingly exploiting LPNs due to our large scope of practice and the relatively low paying status,” said Ginny Wong with LPNs for Change. “Because we are not in the “nurse’s bargaining unit,” LPNs are often forgotten to be included when discussing nurses.”
She adds that in most other fields, employees are paid based on the work they perform, not their formal education or titles.
The group has paused their advocacy for LPNs due to bargaining so all unions and advocates can work together for the benefit of RNs.