Nurse ordered to SARS team

Toronto Sun ^ | 2003-06-08 | Chris Doucette

[Lorenb420]

A Toronto nurse "assigned" to a SARS team against her will says she's prepared to quit her job to avoid risking her life. "No job is worth losing my life over," Lucia Smith said. "And I have a family to think about."

The 40-year-old mother of three works in the dialysis unit at St. Michael's Hospital -- one of four designated SARS hospitals in the city that last week began putting together special teams of health-care workers to battle the deadly disease.

Even after offering to double their pay, St. Mike's managed to recruit only 100 volunteers for the task from its pool of 1,400 nurses. And on Friday, Smith and about 59 other nurses were assigned to the specialized unit in order to make up the 160 registered nurses needed for the SARS team.

"I feel very trapped," Smith said, adding that despite her protests to those responsible for coordinating the team and a representative from her union, she was told to report for orientation Monday morning. "Basically we're powerless," she said.

Hospital officials said the SARS team will receive the proper training, equipment and protective gear to do the job, but stopped short of offering the one thing Smith said she needs -- a 100% guarantee that there is no risk involved to her health.

"I don't think a hospital is ever able to guarantee that," said Darlene Frampton, director of corporate communications for St. Mike's.

Smith has been a nurse for 17 years, much of that time spent in emergency and intensive-care units. That experience, she said, is likely why she was chosen for the team.

"It seems as though my only option may be to resign," said Smith, who plans to talk to her head nurse tomorrow before making a decision.

If she does decide to quit, Smith said she has been told she must give two weeks' notice or face possible charges by the College of Nurses of Ontario for abandoning her patients.

[Mr. Bird]

the one thing Smith said she needs -- a 100% guarantee that there is no risk involved to her health.

I understand her concerns, but she's a nurse with 17 years experience and says something this idiotic? Hell, I'd probably fire her.

[aristeides]

Ping.

[friendly]

The article fails to note the fact that the socialist authorities are lying: Nurses in Canada have been complaining they are NOT given proper equipment, are grossly mistreated, etc.

[jalisco555]

People like this have no business being in health care. She should do her patients a favor and quit.

[aristeides]

New parents dodge SARS threat.

[aristeides]

Manitoba nurses 'not welcome' in Toronto.

[friendly]

This article is grossly biased with much of what is going on not reported. There is no shortage of nurses to man the Canadian SARS teams.

The Canadians have been using private duty nurses to fill the teams. The problem is the socialist scum have been forced into paying $70+ per hour (US) for the private duty nurses. This is more than the docs make, and certainly far more than the regular nurses make. Results?:

1) Regular nurses are rebelling and quitting to join the private sectror.

2)The authorities have to use their usual coercion to seek "volunteers" to stop this fearful trend.

[AD from SpringBay]

People like this have no business being in health care.

I see her point completely and I think her position speaks volumns concerning what health officials in Canada: a)don't know about SARS, and b) aren't telling the rest of the world.

After 17 years this nurse has probably seen and been through most of what a career in nursing has to offer. But with SARS the level of unknowns is simply too much.

[aristeides]

SARS and the bureaucratic creep.

[friendly]

ON THE OTHER HAND... The Ontario Nurses Association are also obviously part of the incompetent and corrupt socialist system. And the private duty rate is $70 hour Canadian funny money, $40+ or so real money. That is still a bargain for the government.

[CathyRyan]

You have got to be kidding? These nurses are being asked to treat people without proper equipment the hours they are putting in is grueling. Their complaints are not being addressed. Their families are being shunned because of the work they do. Nurses spotted the new outbreak of sars reported it and they were ignored! If I were this lady I would tell them where to stick it.

[friendly]

You have got to be kidding? These nurses are being asked to treat people without proper equipment the hours they are putting in is grueling. Their complaints are not being addressed. Their families are being shunned because of the work they do. Nurses spotted the new outbreak of sars reported it and they were ignored! If I were this lady I would tell them where to stick it.

Absolutely true. The Health Canada response? Draft the nurses. Put fake obvious fake diagnoses on SARS deaths (Mark Steyn allegations). Provide third world level ER care (Steyn again). Shoot the messenger.

[Caipirabob]

The industry is called "Nursing". Not "Suicide".

Certainly nurses enter their career to help people, but this is the equivelant in some cases of asking a trained nurse to put a gun to their head and pull the trigger.

Canadian leaders have obscurred the truth about SARS but the nursing community has been direct in sharing what they know is happening. They are afraid, and rightly so. They are being asked to provide services under deadly circumstances and they are not being provided with the tools they need to perform their job neither adequately nor without fear of cerain death. Who would work under those circumstances when such could be prevented with proper equipement?

Yet another nightmare brought to Canada courtesy of SOCIALISTS!

[jalisco555]

No I'm not kidding. The history of medicine is the story of treating sick people in the abscence of complete information about the safety of doing so. I'm a physician and I vividly remember the brave people who treated AIDS patients in the 80's before we understood the nature of that disease. I also remember my contemptible colleagues who refused to do so.

BTW, is the Canadian health care system so bankrupt that they can't even provide gloves, gowns and masks to their staff?

[_Jim]

the Canadian health care system so bankrupt that they can't even provide gloves, gowns and masks to their staff?

I doubt this is a) a widespread problem and b) this is most likey due to a sharply increased DEMAND throughout the supply chain for such items ...

[CathyRyan]

Reports of 'leakage' from SARS ward - Nurses' fears dismissed
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/924418/posts

Nurses demand SARS help
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/923689/posts

Experts say spacesuit-like gear only way to safely intubate SARS patients
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/923612/posts

Exclusive SARS Report: Six Degrees of SARS: Of Politics, Greed, and Plagues
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/891211/posts

Invisible threat haunts health workers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/923129/posts

Some Toronto nurses say SARS premium not enough
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/923124/posts

Breath tubes spread SARS
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/923019/posts

[_Jim]

Invisible threat haunts health workers

This fits the general 'threat' that all contagion represents to mankind ...

[_Jim]

Canadian leaders have obscurred the truth about SARS

MAYBE these 'claims' of censorship and 'obscurring' are actually more in the realm of acting responsibly and getting all the facts together before 'acting' verus airing every rumor and potential fallacy that bleeds it's way into someone's conscious mind ...

[Future Useless Eater]

Put fake obvious fake diagnoses on SARS deaths (Mark Steyn allegations). Provide third world level ER care (Steyn again).

I can't find the Mark Steyn criticisms of Canada's SARS methods. Can you point to an article?