Life may be back to normal for many Canadians now that COVID-19 cases are on the decline, but the same is not true for healthcare workers who are still dealing with hospital outbreaks and COVID-19 patients. After two years of extreme pandemic workloads, doctors and nurses say they are experiencing more burnout and emotional exhaustion than ever before. In fact, physician burnout has never been higher in Canada, according to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA).
The federal government is extending funding for the National Newcomer Navigation Network (N4), a program that aims to help internationally educated health professionals complete certification processes for working in Canada. The program's funding comes from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), looking to make the country's healthcare system more accessible for refugees and recent immigrants.
A team of researchers at the University of Manitoba is trying to better understand how long COVID is affecting Canadians, and healthcare providers are working to help people with symptoms, including fatigue, chest pain, trouble speaking and problems with breathing, memory and concentration, the World Health Organization says. "Long COVID has a significant impact on both patients and health-care providers," researchers say.
On the most recent episode of our podcast, we had the opportunity to interview Stuart MacInnis, a healthcare assistant and tiktoker from British Columbia who had lots to share about his love for his work, lessons learned in the field, and recommendations for people interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.
The World Health Organization’s emergencies director, Mike Ryan, warned that outbreaks of endemic diseases such as monkeypox and lassa fever are becoming more persistent and frequent due to climate change and other factors. "As the climate change contributes to rapidly changing weather conditions like drought, animals and humans are changing their food-seeking behaviour. As a result, diseases that typically circulate in animals are increasingly jumping into humans", he said.
Health-care workers treating patients with monkeypox must wear a fit-tested and seal-checked N-95 respirator, gloves, gowns, and eye protection, and follow isolation protocols similar to those of COVID-19, Public Health Ontario officials say in an infection prevention and control document recently released.
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