CAHS: The straw that broke the camel’s back: Health workers during the pandemic

The straw that broke the camel’s back: Health workers during the pandemic

CAHS President Dr. Sioban Nelson will speak with health workforce expert and CAHS fellow Dr. Ivy Bourgeault of the University of Ottawa on the issue of staffing shortages, worker burnout, and its impact on health care system sustainability.

Dr. Bourgeault is Director of the Canadian Health Workforce Network and holds the uOttawa Research Chair in Gender, Diversity and the Professions. She has garnered an international reputation for her research on the health workforce, particularly from a gender lens. The issue of staffing shortages and worker burnout and its impact on health care system sustainability has been front page news in Canada and around the world as the pandemic has left the health workforce exhausted and demoralized. Although the current critical staffing shortages everywhere from long-term care to Intensive care have been linked to the pandemic effect, sociologist Dr. Bourgeault has been cautioning decision makers on the vulnerability of Canadian health care staffing models, and the inadequacy of health workforce planning in Canada. As a lifelong researcher into the multidisciplinary staffing issues that have long bedevilled the Canadian health care system, Dr Bourgeault offers great insight into both longstanding and pandemic related issues affecting the health workforce in Canada. She discusses approaches taken by other countries and shares her views on steps Canada needs to take to address these issues before it is too late.

To ensure accessibility to all who are interested, the series will be made available on CAHS’ YouTube channel at a later date.

While attendance is free of charge, we ask that you consider making a donation to CAHS (a charitable organization).

Register Here