Demands for change are growing louder after New Brunswick’s Horizon Health Network confirmed a woman was asked to leave an emergency room and return later for a sexual assault forensic exam due to staffing shortages.
CTV News has not spoken to the woman, but Horizon and the Fredericton Police Force have confirmed details about what happened when an alleged sexual assault victim reached for a rape kit in the emergency department of Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton La night of August 1.
Horizon CEO Margaret Melanson said Monday that a sexual assault forensic nurse (SANE) was not available that night.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is in New Brunswick for a Liberal caucus retreat, commented on the story Tuesday, calling it “horrible” and “unacceptable.”
“As hard as it was to hear that story yesterday, we know there are stories like this happening all over the country,” he said. “People are not getting the service and support they so badly need. From people who would like to give it, but are stressed and overwhelmed in our medical systems across the country.”
The New Brunswick Nurses Union agreed with that sentiment Tuesday.
President Paula Doucet said the union is “deeply saddened” that another New Brunswick resident experienced a breakdown in the health care system.
“I’m sad too [sic] that the emergency room nurses at Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital felt somewhat responsible for this collapse. Nurses at DECH and across NB have been doing their best for years in the dire circumstances of staff shortages and heightened expectations,” he said. “Support, training, education and more professional staff would help mitigate situations like these.”
While advocates say counseling and therapy services for survivors have improved in the province, the situation has shed light on the impact of the current staffing shortage.
“The New Brunswick Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Report released in 2018 called for a SANE nurse in every ER. And there isn’t. We’re nowhere near that,” said Megan Mitton, a Green Party MLA and health critic.
Melanson told reporters there are 26 SANE nurses in its five regional hospitals, and Horizon’s best practice is to have one of them on call 24/7, but that doesn’t include rural hospitals. such as Sackville, Sussex, or Charlotte County.
“The best result is that you don’t just talk about the situation, but you take real action, you get funding and you listen to the survivors,” Mitton said. “It’s not a mystery what it takes.”
Horizon is reviewing its policies and practices, and promises to ensure that a trained nurse is always ready in case someone needs their help.
On Monday night, Prime Minister Blaine Higgs said he too was “appalled” to learn the details of the case.
He said he spoke with Melanson to “emphasize that this situation must be addressed immediately.”
“I was assured going forward that any victim of sexual assault will receive the services they need when they need them. I will be following up to make sure that is the case,” she said in a statement to CTV News.