PSW's - stuck between and rock and a hard place

In the Toronto Star this week there was an article about some unscrupulous people handing out Personal Support Worker degrees for a little money and providing not much in terms of actual training. I remember in University, taking "Healthcare in Canada" and it discussed the ramifications of Health Care reform and the shift that took place in health care in general.

• Nurses were no longer involved in actual care, but, instead, became administrators
• "Hands On" care support was given to more Junior staff and, to ensure they did not get too close to any one patient, they were constantly rotated to different floors and different shifts
• No longer were 40 hours of paid work guaranteed and benefits were reduced, and in some cases, eliminated all together.

The current problem is a symptom of a much bigger cause. Those who we need the most, when we are sick or dying, we treat the worst. These are tough jobs, requiring 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year of care. It is time that the job reflected the importance and, as a society, we need to provide the respect and support that these healthcare workers deserve.