Vitalité Health Network is seeking continued assistance from nurses who were involuntarily reassigned from primary care positions to the emergency room in Campbellton. The health authority’s stance on this matter was disclosed on Tuesday when questioned about compliance with a government directive to permit the nurses to return to their original roles. It was not explicitly stated whether the authority had agreed to adhere to the directive.
The decision by Vitalité to redeploy nurse practitioners from the Restigouche area to the ER at Campbellton Regional Hospital was criticized by the Nurse Practitioners of New Brunswick, who indicated knowledge of three to four affected nurses. Premier Susan Holt informed that the province had instructed the regional health authority to reverse the reassignments, affecting two nurse practitioners.
Following the throne speech, Holt stated, “Our government has directed Vitalité to have those two nurse practitioners return to their primary care practices.” Initially, Vitalité mentioned that the nurses were essential to support staff during training of other ER employees.
CEO France Desrosiers, when questioned about complying with the province’s directive, did not confirm the network’s decision. In an email, Desrosiers mentioned, “The temporary involuntary redeployment of a small number of employees remains necessary.” While acknowledging the significance of primary care access, the network emphasized the priority of critical care. The temporary reassignment involves two nurse practitioners for a maximum of three weeks.
Concerns were raised by the nurses group regarding potential disruptions to patient care continuity and the legal obligations of nurse practitioners due to Vitalité’s redeployment strategy. The network assured that patients of the affected nurses are receiving care from other healthcare providers.
In response to inquiries, CBC News is awaiting feedback from the group regarding the province and Vitalité’s positions. Premier Holt stressed the responsibility of Vitalité to address the ER vacancies in Campbellton and emphasized the need for enhanced recruitment efforts. She suggested exploring innovative staffing solutions for ERs, likening the treatment of nurse practitioners to physicians who may take on additional shifts in the ER alongside their primary care roles.
Holt commended the province’s success in nurse recruitment, citing the addition of 917 new nurses since last January. She expressed willingness to provide assistance in fully staffing the Campbellton facility. When asked about hiring travel nurses, Holt indicated a preference for local recruits to reduce reliance on costlier temporary solutions and emphasized ongoing investments in training and recruitment for local nurses.