'This is ridiculous': Outcry leads to quick reversal after Quebec nurses' holidays cancelled

Nurses will still get vacations After being told nurses would have to cancel vacations, the West Island health authority reverses course.

MONTREAL — A group of Montreal nurses got a hard dose of news Thursday -- followed by an almost immediate turnaround, as their health authority announced it would back away from plans to cancel their Christmas vacations.

In a memo sent Thursday and obtained by CTV News, nurses, technicians, managers and other staff who work for the West Island health region were told that than any time off over the holidays will be cancelled, right up until Jan. 30.

With cases mounting and hospital capacity pushed to the brink by the second wave of COVID-19, the staff were told their vacations wouldn't be possible.

A second memo sent Friday evening, however, and also obtained by CTV News, dialled back on that plan, instead urging people to volunteer to work extra time -- but not forcing the issue, for now.

"We encourage anyone in a position to do so, to voluntarily cancel their vacation time or to come in to work and work overtime during the days they had scheduled off, but we are not automatically cancelling scheduled vacations," the Montreal West Island IUHSSC wrote.

The backlash had been quick after the first plan, which outlined a bigger redistribution of resources as well as the vacation cancellations.

Staff members were told they would be redeployed to lend a hand in high-risk sectors, and that resources were being cut.

"We must use every means possible to prevent the situation from worsening," reads the memo from the Montreal West Island IUHSSC.

That health authority covers the West Island but also some institutions outside of it. The changes affected the Lakeshore, St Mary’s, Lasalle, and Douglas Hospital, Sainte Anne’s veteran's hospital and Grace Dart care centre.

“This is ridiculous,” said Joanne Scullion, a licensed practical nurse and St. Mary’s Hospital. “We had to fight for one week of vacation in the summertime, because summer vacations were cancelled.”

Scullion said the FIQ nurses’ union managed to negotiate one week off.

“Now we’re in the second wave, and I’m lucky if I have Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off,” she said.

She said earlier on Friday that if the vacation cancellations went ahead, she expected many nurses to drop out of the health-care system altogether.

“I know for a fact that older nurses are taking premature retirement at a financial loss," she said.

"The younger nurses are leaving; they’ll probably go to Ontario or reinvent themselves. If you think we have a nursing crunch now -- just wait."

In the health authority's follow-up memo, it told staff that the plan was meant as a response to crisis, and that it could still come to pass depending on how the city fares in the next few weeks.

"We wish to remind you that [the ministerial order] can only be applied if the situation is critical and in order to avoid a service interruption," the Friday memo said. "The cancellation of vacation time is a measure of last resort... Tact, judgement and a case-by-case application is required."

However, "short of volunteers," if service interruptions seem unavoidable, "then the vacation cancellations... may be implemented," it said.

PLEADING WITH CITIZENS

The plan was unveiled at a moment when many nurses across Montreal say they are burning out.

"We are exhausted and drained. We are still recovering from the first wave," said a nurse from the Montreal General Hospital, who wished to remain anonymous over fears of losing her job.

"As professionals, it is harder for us to care for patients. We are short staffed because of COVID outbreaks on the units so half the staff is under quarantine while others have contracted COVID," the nurse said. "Our team is falling apart."

The nurse added that some nurses with COVID-19 symptoms have been required to continue working, and that protective equipment is being used beyond when it should be.

They are pleading with citizens to respect health-care guidelines, not gather and to help front-line workers out.

"The health-care system is drowning; nurses are quitting or on sick leave. The ones remaining are wishing to be sent in quarantine to rest a bit. How ironic," the nurse said.

As part of the original plan in hospitals, operating room activities were cut in half, and 50 per cent of outpatient clinics will close.

"All staff, including administrative staff, will be called upon to contribute as required," the first memo said.

HOSPITALIZATIONS ON THE RISE

The National Institute of Health and Social Services (INESSS) said in a report Friday that Quebec should have sufficient beds for COVID-19 patients but the room for maneuver is slim.

The INESSS estimates that though the numbers are high, the health-care system in the province should be able to accommodate patients.

However, outside of Montreal, the situation is more critical.

"Given that nearly 60 per cent of the regular beds designated for COVID-19 patients are already occupied, exceeding the planned limits cannot be ruled out," the report reads.

Weekly hospitalization cases have jumped by 21 per cent, the INESSS reports, and the youngest demographic (under 18 years old) has seen the largest increase at 32 per cent.

During the week of Nov. 30 to Dec. 6, there were 538 new infections in which people were at high risk of hospitalization. This is an increase of 18 per cent from the previous week, the INESSS reported.

-- With files from The Canadian Press.