The Liberal government will launch pilot projects in several hospitals and long-term care facilities in Quebec in an attempt to improve the working conditions of nurses.
The move comes after Health Minister Gaetan Barette held several meetings with one healthcare union, the FIQ, to discuss overwork.
Last month one nurse, Emilie Ricard, posted a heartfelt message after working a demanding shift where she was the sole nurse responsible for 70 patients at a long-term care facility in Sherbrooke.
That message where she broke into tears explaining her exhaustion was shared tens of thousands of times.
It also started a broader conversation about working conditions for nurses and mandatory overtime.
Since then Barrette has met twice with the FIQ, most recently on Tuesday, to discuss what can be done to improve nurse to patient rations.
"We will make adjustments that are necessary for our personnel to be comfortable at work and provide better care. At the end of that, it's better care for patients. I cannot be clearer than that. It will happen. We are in the process of putting that in place, and at the end of the process, there will be improvements," said Barrette.
The Minister will meet with the nurses' union next week to determine which hospitals and long-term care facilities will be host to the pilot projects.
