The management of the health network in Mauricie and Center-du-Québec wanted to combat compulsory overtime (TSO) at all costs. It is now eight months since the internal reform was carried out at Drummondville Hospital, the testing facility for the new changes.
The nursing staff stood up several times and expressed their displeasure. Some resigned, but management always stayed the course. Are the measures effective?
According to data obtained thanks to the Access to Information Act, OST at Drummondville Hospital has fallen radically. A decrease of 62% since the internal reform and mandatory shift work every third weekend.
Figures for the last eight months show 549 OST hours were required this year, compared to 1,468 OST hours during the same period in 2022.
“We remain cautious with this data. This is preliminary data. We will definitely want to delve deeper and see the long-term impact of this measure,” commented Antranik Handoyan, Head of Human Resources.
The pressure is released
Drummondville Hospital had reached rare heights in the 24/7 sector in 2022. In April, nursing staff were required to work 300 hours of overtime.
The month of April remains the highest month in 2023, but not comparable to last year. The nurses worked 136 hours OST and only 27 hours in May.
The changes include the decentralization of working hours to better reflect the needs of the industries. The teams also devote themselves to weekend planning.
“It allows for a certain agility to find gaps in working hours. These changes are needed. The 24/7 pressure on sectors is not sustainable,” continued Antranik Handoyan.
However, drummondville hospital nurses’ overtime hours remain unchanged, exceeding 36,000 hours in 2023, a similar number to 2022.
“The goal is not to roll with that much TS (overtime), but given the shortage of manpower we have, it would be turning a blind eye to say we won’t roll with a certain number of TS.”
Management says it has learned lessons from the last few months. From the end of January, nursing staff rosters will be changed in all hospitals and facilities in the region.
“The teams are getting hit. We aim to have as little impact on the Care Act as possible. We understand it is a difficult change.”
Will the changes have the same impact on Trois-Rivières Hospital? Overtime in the last eight months exceeded 64,000 hours, including 1,800 hours at the TSO.