As Ste-Justine Hospital unveils two new buildings, nurses are complaining they are overworked.

Nurses at the hospital, particularly in the birthing unit, said the $38 million in budget cuts over the past five years have left them short-staffed, overworked, and as a result making mistakes.

The complaint came in a joint statement from three unions representing more than 4,600 workers at the hospital.

“The number of cases of exhaustion in our ranks is growing. While we continue to want to offer quality care, we are told that we must only provide safe care. It is extremely demoralizing,” said Louise Laplante, president of nurses’ union SPSIC, in the statement.

They said on a month-to-month basis they are making more mistakes -- although they never specifically mentioned how many mistakes are being made.

Nurses also complained of staff members not being replaced when they call in sick, and a refusal to pay overtime pay.

Department heads acknowledged that more mistakes are being made, and encouraged staff to continue to report them.

Ste-Justine Hospital responded Monday, saying it has been doing everything it can to support its employees. The hospital said the safety of patients and quality of care is in no way being affected.

They also pointed out that the mistakes being made are minor, such as supplies not being properly replaced, but pointed out that each mistake was spotted, and that nobody's life was ever in danger.

 

Health Minister Gaetan Barrette said the hospital has adequate funding for every job that is necessary.

"I don't see that this hospital will have to refrain in the service that they're offering to the public. I don't see that. This is not planned. This building has been designed and planned in a way that there will be enough money for them to operate at the proper level," said Barrette, who was at the hospital as it held a public opening for two new buildings: the research centre and the specialized unit building.

Last month, the hospital inaugurated the Jacqueline-Desmarais Pavilion, named after the matriarch of the Desmarais family that controls Power Corporation.

Barrette said things should get easier once everyone adjusts to the new wing.

"This building has been designed and planned in a way that there will be enough money for them to operate at the proper level," said Barrette.

That includes 261 new beds and 11 operating rooms with state-of-the-art equipment, adding 61 per cent more space to the hospital.