This may not be the case only in Ontario but could reflect in other parts of the world also. Covid 19 pandemic has already taken its toll on the mental health of the health workers, especially the nurses and a significant of them in Ontario are considering leaving the profession.
All over the World, the health workers are in a mental agony. They are struck in hospitals and even in isolation wards or ICUs for days. They risk their lives and not even able to see their family members.
In a survey, the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) said that the highlight is that majority of the nurses who wanted to leave the profession were young. They held the survey among Registered Nurses, Nurse Practitioners and nursing students working in Ontario.
All the participants (95.7 per cent) said that Covid 19 pandemic affected their work. A majority reported high or very high stress levels. At least 13 per cent of Registered Nurses between 26 years and 35 years wanted to leave the profession.
The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario said that this was an alarm call as the figures were four times higher than the normal rate of attrition for that age cohort. The nurses in other parts of the world also have the same dilemma. RNAO’s CEO Dr. Doris Grinspun said that the fall in numbers of nurses at this age group would have a profound and lasting effect on the health system.
LAST YEARS OF SERVICE
The survey also found that the nurses who are in their last years of service want to quit immediately. The RNAO said that 4.5 per cent of the respondents plan to retire now or immediately after the pandemic. Within the 4.5 per cent respondents, the survey says nurse executives (13.8 per cent), advance practice nurses (13.3 per cent) and college faculty (10 per cent) wanted an early exit.
