‘Another example of disrespect’: Union upset over plan to shuttle nurses to Kitchener hospital

Nurses and staff will soon be shuttled to a Kitchener hospital. CTV’s Jeff Pickel explains why they’re being told to park off-site.

Nurses at a Kitchener hospital will soon have to park offsite and hop on a shuttle bus to get to work.

According to hospital management at WREN @ Queen’s Blvd., formerly known as St. Mary’s General Hospital, the change will come into effect on July 9. The decision was made to improve parking options for patients and guests.

“Our patients and visitors have shared over the years how challenging finding a parking spot can be at our Queen’s Blvd. site, and as healthcare workers, we share a responsibility to prioritize the needs of everyone seeking care,” Doug Murray, executive vice president of Enabling Services, said in statement to CTV News.

Hospital representatives said the Queen’s Blvd. site does not have the space needed for everyone to park onsite.

In the statement Murray said WRHN is attempting to find solutions that balance the needs of the community.

“These parking changes are part of our continued efforts to support patient care and ensure that when our patients arrive for an appointment and when our team members arrive for a shift, everyone can count on a space being available,” Murray said.

The Ontario Nurses Association (ONA) said it’s a move that hurts nurses and their ability to do their job.

“In a job where we are overworked, it’s an unattractive job at times nowadays, at the best of times, and this is just another example of the disrespect we’re seeing in our profession in general,” Grace Pierias, vice president of ONA Region 4, said.

The hospital is providing a complementary shuttle service, but the nurses are concerned the shuttle’s capacity won’t be able to keep up with demands at peak hours, forcing nurses to wait.

“Health care providers work long hours, we’re talking 12 hour shifts, and to add 40 minutes on either end of this long day is another very unreasonable ask,” said Pierias.

Pierias said the added time and stress of the shuttle and parking may lead to a decline in patient care

“Already nurses come early on their own time, unpaid, to get the transfer of accountability. You’re going to be looking at the clock - when does [the shuttle] come? The likelihood that you make a mistake or forget to add something to your report is going to be exponentially higher,” said Pierias.

The hospital said there will be an exception for onsite parking for those who are on call, working overnights or weekends.

They also said the shuttle system is “a work in progress” and they will assess and make adjustments as they move forward.