Nurses’ union concerned with PSW cuts at Guelph General Hospital [Video]

Healthcare workers are asking Guelph General Hospital to reverse its recent decision to lay off 39 personal support workers.

A rally was held in front of the Delhi Street building on Monday.

According to the nurses’ union, which organized the event, the loss of 39 PSWs will make it harder to care for patients.

“The state of nursing here at the hospital has continued to have a major impact on patients,” said Mark Zinger, a registered practical nurse and vice-president of CUPE Local 57. “I am already overworked due to the patient ratio at this point. PSWs are integral to my workload – to feed [patients], to get them out of bed, to ambulate them, to have conversations with them.”

Patricia Bools is one of the PSWs losing her job at Guelph General Hospital.

“I had an email sent to me saying I’m being laid off,” she explained, adding that …