Ontario doctors express concerns over the quality of in-home nursing care for terminally ill patients, citing substandard care provided by the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). The issue has led to a career shift for Dr. Alexandra Hodgson, who now primarily works in palliative care at hospices and hospitals in Owen Sound, Ontario. Hodgson and her colleague, Dr. Susan Batten, both specialize in home care and have noticed a consistent failure by VON nurses to meet basic patient care standards.
The doctors highlight several problems, including poor communication, missing or incomplete patient assessments, and improper medication management. They argue that VON lacks an effective quality control system, which is crucial for ensuring safe and effective care. Batten emphasizes the stark contrast in patient care between VON and CarePartners, another home care provider.
The situation has led to a crisis of confidence among doctors, with Batten threatening to step away from home care visits if VON's performance doesn't improve. The doctors advocate for transparency in quality control monitoring for organizations providing in-home nursing care. They also point out that VON nurses face challenges due to lower pay and long distances, but argue that these factors don't excuse substandard care.
The NDP health critic, France Gélinas, supports the doctors' concerns, attributing the issues to a 'broken' home-care system and secretive, long-term contracts for care providers. She highlights the low pay for home care nurses, which contributes to high turnover and reduced care quality. The article concludes by calling for systemic changes to address the issues in Ontario's home care system.
