The loss of life of Trevor Dubois has put a highlight on broader issues about violence in Saskatchewan hospitals, and staff at St. Paul’s hospital in Saskatoon are renewing requires change.
A letter dated Sunday outlines what staff say they proceed to see of their work day by day.
“It actually is going on in every single place and it’s occurring by everybody, you realize. It isn’t one sort of particular person committing violence, it’s everywhere,” mentioned Bryce Boynton, president of the Saskatchewan Union of Nurses.
Within the letter, staff describe a number of incidents over a three-day interval in December with threats, makes an attempt to hurt, racism, harassment, and weapons.
In a single case, a affected person allegedly rammed right into a door earlier than pulling a knife. One other account particulars an incident the place an individual entered triage with lacerations on his fingers, with St. Paul’s workers later studying he had attacked somebody with a machete, which safety confiscated from his clothes.
Boynton says this isn’t the primary letter of its sort. “Over 60 per cent of our membership who responded to our survey mentioned that they’ve thought of leaving the province or leaving the career altogether and that’s due to these excessive pressures and damaging outcomes which are being positioned on them,” he mentioned.
Get day by day Nationwide information
Get the day’s prime information, political, financial, and present affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox as soon as a day.
“And on prime of that, one other quarter may retire as we speak in the event that they wished to, and so if we proceed to disregard it, we’re susceptible to dropping all of those completely different nurses.”
However not everybody agrees that is the time or place to carry up the issues.
Saskatoon Tribal Chief Mark Arcand says there’s a danger of Doubtful’ loss of life being politicized. “Don’t play politics with First Nations peoples’ lives anymore, it’s unacceptable and it has to cease,” Arcand mentioned.
“And if anyone’s going to name you out, I’m going to name you out, as a result of we’re speculated to work collectively for a top quality of life and proper now the standard of life shouldn’t be too good for First Nations individuals on this province.”
International Information requested the opposition NDP at a information convention Monday about what Chief Arcand needed to say.
“It’s a devastating scenario after all,” mentioned Vicki Mowat, Sask. NDP deputy chief. “We’ve initially a accountability to guard the individuals of our province. That features sufferers, that features well being care staff.”
The nurse’s union says any adjustments going ahead should proceed to incorporate frontline hospital staff.
“The federal government is accountable for well being care on this province, so I need them at that desk,” mentioned Boynton . “I need them taking part and dealing intently with us, and I additionally need them to depend on the specialists which are highlighting these points of their resolution making.”
Watch above for extra on why nurses in Saskatchewan are renewing requires motion over violence.
© 2026 International Information, a division of Corus Leisure Inc.
