LITTLE CURRENT—Like many long-term care facilities across the province, Manitoulin Centennial Manor has been budget bedeviled by a lack of permanent staff, leading to significant challenges in its nursing envelope due to the necessity of hiring much more expensive agency staff in order to meet the standards of care expected of homes for societies most vulnerable.
The Manor board received some very welcome news, in fact two sets of good news, during its recent meeting. Not only has the Manor received a significant boost in provincial funding to the tune of more than $90,000, but thanks to the tireless recruiting efforts of Manor administrator Don Cook and Director of Care Sylvia Clark, two new registered nurses are taking up duties at the seniors’ residence.
“I have been working with Extendicare to recruit the nursing postings on different platforms,” noted Mr. Cook. “Once the resumes come in, Sylvie has worked with the nurses to make them feel comfortable and welcome as new staff, whether that is moving here and/or obtaining their ONA licence. She’s also very good with scheduling to make sure our nursing hours are covered while at the same time being able to reduce agency hours.”
That news comes on the heels of word that the final stages of bringing two offshore nurses onboard are entering the home stretch. Mr. Cook explained that those two nurses will settle in to work as personal support workers until they have obtained their Ontario nursing certificates.
Board chair Pat MacDonald congratulated Mr. Cook and Ms. Clark for their efforts on behalf of the Manor, noting the important impact the new recruits will have on securing the home’s bottom line. The need to hire agency nurses was one of the major drags of the nursing envelope budget line into the red.
Ms. Clark cautioned that she will still need to hire agency staff in the PSW line in order to cover off vacation periods, but that the new hires (covering the less popular night shifts) will definitely reduce reliance on agency staff. One of the current agency RNs has left, while the other is being kept on to assist the new nurses in learning the specifics of providing care in a long-term care setting which they are not yet used to.
