Assignment Task

Outline

Feel free to use or adapt/change the outline template below.

Introduction

• Hook or Inciting Idea:
• Background Context:
• Main Source--author, title, one-sentence summary:
• Provisional Thesis:

Summary

Statement of issue/problem, thesis/message, reasons/narrative events:

Response

1) First claim critiquing the main source (tied to the thesis): TS

• Textual evidence from the main source:
• Textual evidence from (one or more) research source(s):

2) Second claim critiquing the main source:

• Textual evidence from the main source:
• Textual evidence from research source(s):

3) Etc, as applicable.

Conclusion

• Restatement of the thesis in new words:
• New question(s):
• Concluding statement:

Draft

Write a full first draft (Intro, Summary, Critical Response, Conclusion(s), References). Then submit this entire document to the assignment folder and copy/paste just the draft here to the Discussion Board.

CUPE’s Ontario Council of Hospital Unions is strongly insisting that the provincial government invest $1.25 billion annually over the course of the next four years in hopes of addressing and positively approaching the immense hospital staffing crisis, citing significant workloads resulting in great mental health impacts on their staff. A recent survey provided insight on statistics of healthcare workers stating that 26% of hospital workers have considered quitting while 41% worry and fear going to work due to the overwhelming demands. Similar to British Columbia’s model, Ontario unions are asking for increased full-time staffing as well as an equal ratio of staff to patients in order to improve the working conditions as well as patient care. The union states the measures claimed to be in action by the government of increased funding and staff are ineffective as well as insufficient to address the issue. 

This article talks about the fact that Ontario is facing a severe healthcare staffing shortage, making it necessary to have over 33, 000 nurses and 50,000 personal support workers (PSWs) by 2032, as shown through recent reports. In 2022, the shortage saw a need for only 6,00 nurses but has drastically escalated to an estimated number of 13,200 this year and is anticipated to reach about 33,200 by 2032. Likewise, the demand for PSWs has also risen since 2022 from 24,00 to an estimation of 50, 853 by 2032. Despite these concerning numbers and urgent need for government help, the decision made by the government to withhold information in regard to the shortage portrays the potential financial impacts and demands for increased wages by the union presents itself as drawing criticism from the union as well as other healthcare professionals. It is argued that the only way to solve the staffing crisis is to be transparent and address the wage and working conditions of the healthcare workers. 

‌Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), Sharon Hunter in Belleville, Ontario shares her feelings of uneasiness due to the great staffing shortage in healthcare facilities. Although loving her job, with over 15 years in nursing, Hunter provides information on her daily moral distress of doing more than just her job and having to triage many patients due to this shortage and inadequate resources. Alongside Sharon, many other RPNs are facing great burnout and are considering leaving their jobs resulting from the low compensation and high demand comparisons. Although she loves caring for her community, her challenging work conditions are steering her to explore and pursue alternative career options. In response, the Ontario government has provided initiatives to help in the positive evolving recruitment of nurses. But still, the impact currently remains crucial. 

Pre-Drafting Assignment Two

Summary

The article "Ontario healthcare workers at their wits end over hospital staffing crisis: union" emphasizes the severe crisis regarding the staffing that is affecting Ontario’s hospitals, resulting in deteriorating conditions throughout the hospitals whether it be emergency rooms or overall care for their patients. Michael Hurley, president of the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions CUPE, highlights the immediate need for there to be an increase in wages and improved working conditions based on the significant numbers of patients on waitlists for surgeries, stretchers with patients in the hallways, and diagnostic procedures all in the result of a shortage of healthcare staff. Hurley also mentions a loss of over 10 percent of nurses and other hospital staff as a direct result of this, emphasizing the challenge of maintaining healthcare workers. Despite Premier Doug Ford’s argument for record investments in the buildings of hospitals and staffing, healthcare staff and the union differ from this argument as they claim these measures are ineffective in emphasizing and carrying out the concerns of the crucial understaffing issues and the impact due to this on patient care, as shown by ongoing scenarios and calls for actions provided by the government

Exploration

The argument shown by Michael Hurley and additional union leaders concerning the hospital staffing crisis in Ontario is beyond logical, fair, and reasonable for numerous reasons. Firstly, this can be seen through the significant number of patients on stretchers in the hospital hallways and the patients waiting for surgeries and diagnostic procedures. It is greatly evident that there is a clear issue that needs to be fixed as patients` needs and available resources are not matching one another, which is an immense situation. Moreover, there is a clear argument for their demands shown through the workload issues. Ontario has one of the least number of staff working but has the most patients and fewest beds of any other province in Canada, making clear that there is reasonable background information on the basis for their argument. Furthermore, the significant number of people present in the demonstration also proves this argument as logical, fair, and reasonable. For example, Michael Hurley mentions the fact that people took buses five or six hours from Ontario to center attention on the understaffing and crisis in these hospitals as it is that significant of an issue that requires urgent government action. Although Doug Ford’s claims of record investments and things such as high numbers of current nurse registrations suggest improvements, the persistence and commitment regarding addressing this issue contradict his argument and portray their own indication that his measures are not effectively improving the main problem. The union’s argument is proven based on concrete information, firsthand from healthcare workers that this problem is affecting and evident situations of this crisis, proving it to be a call for immediate help and promoting the idea of increased government help.

Skepticism/ Questioning

Although the argument shown by Michael Hurley and other union leaders is immensely strong and compelling, some reasonable people might disagree based on potential flaws and gaps. One of these flaws could be the accuracy and reliability of the claims about funding. Hurley states that the government funding for public hospitals had only increased by 0.5 percent but, later in the article it states that a government spokesperson contents this, mentioning a four percent increase in contradiction. This dissimilarity can present itself as an issue on the basis of accuracy and information of financial data that is being used on both sides of the argument to prove their point. Furthermore, Premier Doug Ford mentions an increased number of staffing and record investments. One might argue that the addition of over 80,000 nurses and 10,000 new doctors makes great evidence of great efforts being made to improve the conditions arising from this crisis. Alongside this, people might argue that the union’s demand for higher wages and improved working conditions in their workplace, although valid, might not be fully considering the bigger picture in terms of economic abilities and the efforts from the government already being made for improvement for the overall healthcare system. In addition to this, the healthcare workers` main concern is having immediate relief for the staffing issues but, they also would need to account for the longer-term solutions such as training these people and making changes in order to improve the system. Although one might present more disagreeing points, one last one is that there is always a possibility that some of the issues presented by the union are more intricate and complex issues within the healthcare system that can not simply be resolved by just increased funding and wages. While the argument from the union for immediate action is solid, others might argue a deeper consideration of the efforts currently being made and planned future actions as well as a bigger-picture understanding.