Help sought for 'crumbling' health-care system in western Quebec

Health-care workers in western Quebec say hospitals areat a breaking point and they blame governmentindifference for harmingemergency room care.

Nurses, union membersand health-care advocates held a rally outside the Gatineau Hospital on Thursday, which comes three weeks after the hospital's emergency department shuttered its doorsbecause it didn't have enough staff to continue operating.

The unit hasreopened with limited capacity, but staff members say they are struggling.

"We survive. We try to do the best we can for our patients, our colleagues," said Emma Karasko, a nurse who works the overnight shift in the ER.

"It must be said, everyone is falling in battle. We are faced with a wall. We no longer have a choice. We need urgent solutions," she told Radio-Canada.

• Quebec ERs 'on the verge of a breakdown' and need help, emergency doctor says

Adlaide Mabungu, a nurse who has worked at the hospital for nearly a decade, saidstaff are exhausted.

"We do not give the care that a nurse should give to a patient," saidMabungu, who is also in charge of occupational health and safety for her union.

"I do notunderstand why people are not revolted by this."

Staffing shortages are nothing new in the Outaouais Region. The problem has persistedfor yearswith a nurses' union telling patients two summers ago they should visit Ontario hospitals for emergency care.

Emergency department occupancy rates posted online by Index Sant, Quebec's health directory,showed hospitals across the region were at an average82 per cent capacity as of Thursday morning, but those numbers varied significantly depending on the hospital.

The Hull Hospital had 37 patients taking up bedsin an emergency departmentdesigned to accommodate 25. Twelve patients had alsobeen there for more than 24 hours.

Meanwhile, theManiwaki Hospital's emergency department was at 167 per cent capacity.

As for the Gatineau hospital'semergency department, it'sonly seeing a select number of patients, including pregnant people, children and youth, as well as people experiencinga mental-health crisis.

Urgent action needed, union says

The union representing local nurses demanded health minister Christian Dub andthe minister responsible for the Outaouais. Mathieu Lacombe, take action.

"We must invest in the health-care system, which is in the process of crumbling," saidKarine D'Auteuil, the union's interim president, adding the system has been underfunded for years.

On Wednesday, the citizen group quit Outaouais said it wanted the Canadian Armed Forcesto lend a hand in emergency rooms acrossthe region, but the local health unitrejected the idea.

D'Auteuil believes help from the army would be beneficial.

"In the short term, for sure, it can breathe life into the team. It'sexhausted," she said.

"If we have extra arms to help with the patients, it can't hurt. They are ready to take the help that is available as long as the care is safe."