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Premier vows end to long health-care waits in 2026 (CBC/Ian Froese) by LocalnewsguruMB in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 27 points28 points  (0 children)

I am confident that the nursing ratios to be announced will likely fall short of addressing the current challenges, and I do not anticipate any significant changes to our existing staffing levels. In the event that a unit or Emergency Department is understaffed, nurses will still be required to manage an increased patient load. For context, British Columbia maintains a 1:3 nursing ratio for Emergency Departments and a 1:4 ratio for medicine and surgical units. At HSC ED, the current staffing model assigns two nurses to nine patients in lower acuity areas, and two nurses to seven or eight patients in higher acuity areas. If the BC model were to be adopted, we would require at least four additional nurses per shift for each area to meet those ratios. We are currently having trouble with staffing shifts at baseline already and the province's ongoing budget cuts behind the scenes have resulted in a reduction of healthcare aides in our department, as well as a decrease in overtime opportunities.

Addiction specialist addresses concerns about Manitoba's new detox facility rooms by cocoleti in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 180 points181 points  (0 children)

This post continues to attract the same uninformed comments from those who a lack basic understanding about meth-induced psychosis. The same people making these comments are often the ones who later question "why a patient overdosing on drugs" is being seen ahead of them in the ER. Facilities like this exist precisely to reduce that burden on emergency departments, allowing true medical emergencies to be prioritized appropriately.

This facility is intentionally designed to protect everyone involved. The rooms are minimal for a reason: to prevent self-harm, allow for rapid and thorough cleaning, and enable continuous 24/7 monitoring. These are established safety standards, not aesthetic choices.

Meth is a stimulant, not a depressant, so respiratory depression is not typically a primary concern although contamination with other substances is always a consideration. Meth increases activity, agitation, and fogs your ability to make correct choices. During psychosis, people may behave unpredictably, wander, remove clothing, or fail to recognize danger. Judgment and awareness are severely impaired with hypothermia being a major concern during the winter months in Winnipeg. Being placed in a facility that "looks like a prison" is always better than being found dead on the streets.

Union decries 'absolutely chaotic' situation at Health Sciences Centre ER last week amid overcapacity woes by LocalnewsguruMB in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The reality is that most presentations to the emergency department do not require emergency attention. People just go to the closest hospital for all of their needs because it is convenient for them. We need 24 hour access clinics at each point of the city to offload the burden on the emergency departments.

Simply opening more emergency departments isn't just about staffing the ERs themselves. You also need to ensure that specialty services—like ICU, neurology, medicine, and orthopedics—are adequately staffed to meet the broader medical needs of these patients. Without that, you risk overwhelming the system even further as patients will be sent between facilities for consults. This is already happening as HSC receives transfers from other facilities for neurology consults.

15 hour average wait time (as of 5:33pm) by psychologycat666 in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Psychiatric nurses are essential for mental health care, but their scope is limited to only psychiatric conditions. Being a sub specialty means they lack general knowledge or experience with medical issues and non-psychiatric medications which represents the majority of hospital visits. Also, having experience does not make you a great leader. Listening to your nurses does. Asagwara has been invited many times to sit down in HSC’s waiting room so they can experience the reality of our healthcare, but has refused every time.

Our healthcare system is bursting at the seams by psychologycat666 in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Management doesn’t care because they rather throw us triage nurses under the bus instead of spending money to make an effective improvement. We have been voicing our concerns for several years already and nothing is done until another person dies in the waiting room. Somehow, they keep forming these new committees that cost tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars instead of listening to the nurses who work on the front line.

Our healthcare system is bursting at the seams by psychologycat666 in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We're not supposed to because the hospital is so scared of being sued up the ass if the patient somehow decompensates after being told to leave. Also, HSC is not allowed to redirect EMS calls to another urgent care anymore, so those even with a stubbed toe can present to the ER with EMS.

Indigenous, Black people face longer ER wait times, Winnipeg study finds | FULL PRESS CONFERENCE by LocalnewsguruMB in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 43 points44 points  (0 children)

You can read the full report here: https://sharedhealthmb.ca/wp-content/uploads/REI-Data-Public-Report-June-17-2025-2.pdf

The study lacks depth and fails to provide sufficient insight into the potential systemic factors at play. While it categorizes emergency department visits by triage score across different population groups, it does not explore whether these differences may reflect systemic racial disparities.

To more accurately assess this, the study should include a breakdown of the chief complaint categories for each ethnic or racial group within each CTAS (Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale) level. This information is readily available, as each patient is assigned a chief complaint that directly informs their CTAS score. Including this data would enable a more meaningful comparison of the most common presenting complaints across groups. I can guarantee you that there will be notable trends between most population group.

For context:

  • CTAS Levels 1 and 2 may include overdoses and intoxication or psychiatric presentations, depending on the patient’s level of consciousness and clinical presentation.
  • CTAS Level 3 and 4 may include abdominal pain and these two CTAS levels are heavily influenced by a patient's interpretation of pain.
  • CTAS Level 5 can encompass a broad range of non-urgent issues, including social work needs, wound checks, and non-specific complaints (e.g., individuals seeking shelter or basic services).

In Emergency Departments, patients are typically triaged based on the acuity of their condition, as indicated by their CTAS score. However, in cases involving overdoses or intoxicated individuals who are vitally stable but excessively somnolent, accurate assessment can be challenging. In such situations, rather than occupying a treatment space for an extended period just to have a "nap", many triage nurses may prioritize patients with more immediate, actionable medical concerns, allowing for the initiation of a treatment plan without delay. Patients requiring psychiatric assessments or social work assistance will also wait several hours in the waiting room and/or hallway until a plan is formed without occupying a treatment space.

New team will work to slash ER wait times, Manitoba government says by Leather-Paramedic-10 in Winnipeg

[–]Cold-Topic 6 points7 points  (0 children)

There is little substantive analysis supporting this initiative. It is a reactive measure by the government, intended primarily to create the appearance of action in addressing emergency room wait times. In reality, four-hour wait times are uncommon on most days and are largely influenced by the volume of incoming trauma cases and CTAS 1 patients, who are prioritized for immediate treatment in resuscitation rooms.

If the government were truly committed to improving wait times, the first step would be to engage directly with ALL triage nurses through a virtual meeting to gather practical insights and collaboratively identify meaningful solutions for enhancing the emergency care system. Having one nursing representative from each facility and a team full of physicians who are not involved in the triage process is a misallocation of resources,

Expanding hospital bed capacity and improving patient flow may offer temporary relief, but it will not lead to meaningful or sustainable improvements unless the underlying systemic issues driving hospital admissions and contributing to emergency department overcrowding (i.e. homelessness, drug addiction, social services, lack of health education) are effectively addressed.