Social media went a little bit nuts recently. Newsfeeds on multiple platforms were flooded with short video clips of individuals dunking ice-cold water onto themselves (or variations of), all in the name of raising awareness and funding for ALS, under the label of #IceBucketChallenge And like all viral trends, the skeptics and critics weren’t far behind. Check out this opinion article published in the Canadian national magazine Maclean’s, where the author questions the …
Slippery Slope of Physician Assisted Death & Euthanasia.
Physician assisted death and euthanasia is not a new topic of discussion, but is creeping to a tipping point in Canada with recent legislative decisions (see Bill 52 in Quebec, and other bills tabled). Anyone who has had experience with end-of-life care, whether personally or otherwise, would understand the complexity of the issues involved. If you haven’t already, have a read through this article published on HealthyDebate which nicely summarizes some of the …
Canada and the United States: We aren’t so different afterall.
Came across an interesting piece in the paper recently, which nicely summarized many of the key challenges our healthcare system is facing. While the ultimate point of the article is to question the wisdom of increasing privatisation in our current system, I think the even more profound realization is that: Canada and the United States share a much more similar healthcare system than most would like to believe. As Canadians, we are tremendously …
On Florence Nightingale: The Ladies with the Lamps.
It is difficult to imagine modern hospital care without the nursing profession. In fact, the very first hospital in Canada was created by Augustine nuns (who, practically speaking, were nurses) in 1639: the Hôtel-Dieu in Québec City, which still functions to this day. Much like how William Osler is celebrated in medical antiquity for physicians, Florence Nightingale is widely accepted as the founder of modern nursing. Her contributions in the Crimean War earned …
Arbitrated nursing wage increases – a double edged sword?
At the beginning of the month, an arbitration decision finally came out after a locked negotiation battle between Ontario’s nurses’ union and the Ontario Hospital Association: despite initial threat of a decrease in wages, nursing wage increases will be 1.4% annually over the next 2 years. And rightly so – no one can argue against appropriate compensation for one of the most essential elements of acute hospital care. In fact, some would say this isn’t nearly …
Improving healthcare as a resident: Working on the system
I am currently at the midpoint of a five-year RCPSC residency specializing in emergency medicine. I’d like to briefly share my experience to date as a medical resident in Canada. The major focus encompasses gaining valuable experience providing high quality patient care, often by working long hours. The best learning typically comes in the clinical setting. ED shifts are always busy yet with a vast array of medicine to ensure there are always …