Given a choice, Ontarions would opt for increasing the number of nurses
working in the health care system over tax cuts by a 3:1 ratio, according to
a new poll.
And, despite electing a new government with a tax-cutting platform, British
Columbians say they would do the same.
At a time when the province's nurses are locked in bitter contract
negotiations, a large majority of citizens also favour giving nurses a pay
hike, the survey found.
The public would also, by a wide margin, favour hiring more front-line
caregivers over building new health-care facilities, purchasing new
equipment for hospitals or providing tax breaks to business, according to
the poll commissioned by the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions.
"The numbers are a real validation of our work," said Kathleen
Connors,
president of the CFNU.
"Canadians are saying that when they're sick, when they're vulnerable, when
they're in need, they want nurses there to care for them. They don't want a
few more dollars in their pockets."
In Ontario, 75 per cent of those surveyed said they would choose hiring more
nurses compared with 23 per cent who would choose a tax cut. In B.C., 64 per
cent chose more nurses, compared with the 32 per cent who preferred a tax
cut.
The poll, to be presented today at the federation's national convention in
Edmonton, was conducted by Ipsos-Reid. It reveals widespread concern that
Canada does not have enough nurses. Almost 90 per cent of those surveyed
said they felt there is a nursing shortage.
Concern was highest among women and the elderly -- those most likely to use
the health-care system regularly, an indication that the shortages are
affecting care.
It is estimated that Canada has a shortage of about 20,000 nurses. The
Canadian Nurses Association predicts the shortfall could hit 113,000 within
a decade.
The poll indicates Canadians hold strong views that the health-care resource
management problem should be resolved.
Ninety-two per cent of those surveyed said the solution was "increasing
hospitals' hiring budgets." A similarly large number, 89 per cent, said the
federal government needs to increase the amount of money it transfers to the
provinces for health care, while 87 per cent said that governments need to
increase the salaries paid to nurses.
"Canadians have given governments some really good advice: More nurses need
to be hired, and those who are working need to be better paid," Ms. Connors
said. "Now it's time for governments to listen, and act."
The poll also showed support for initiatives proposed by nursing groups to
deal with the shortage: Using employment insurance monies to fund nursing
education (72 per cent); legislating a maximum number of patients per nurse
(69 per cent); and outlawing the practice of forced overtime for nurses (56
per cent).
Respondents were given six options on how they think more nurses could be
attracted to, and retained in, the profession. The poll is believed to be
the first to gauge public opinion on the nursing shortage, an issue many
analysts have deemed to be the No. 1 problem in the health-care system.
Ipsos-Reid polled 1,000 Canadians. The results are considered accurate
within 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
The number of nurses relative to the population being served has also fallen
markedly since 1994, according to the Canadian Institute for Health
Information. There were 75.4 nurses per 10,000 population in Canada last
year, down from 80.3 per 10,000 six years earlier.
There were 232,412 registered nurses employed last year.
Nurses versus...
In your opinion, is there a nursing shortage in this country.
Yes 89%
No 10%
Which of the following two options is more important for government?
Increasing the number of nurses vs. building new health-care facilities
Nurses 76%
Facilities 23%
Increasing the number of nurses vs. providing aid to businesses in the form
of direct aid and tax breaks
Nurses
76%
Aid and tax breaks 23%
Increasing the number of nurses vs. providing a tax cut
Nurses 67%
Tax cuts 31%
Increasing the number of nurses vs. providing new health-care equipment
Nurses 52%
Equipment 45%
(Only data for decided respondents has been shown)