Researchers urge Ontario government to offer more support for medical lab workers
Researchers studying the working conditions of Ontario's medical lab workers is cautioning that patient safety will slip if the government doesn't intervene to support the sector.
Researchers with ties to the University of Toronto, University of Guelph and Laurentian University in collaboration with the Medical Laboratory Professionals' Association of Ontario (MLPAO) shared their findings this week.
"(Lab workers) are experiencing higher rates of burnout, poor job satisfaction, and this is impacting their work performance," Dr. Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia, an occupational therapist and assistant professor at the University of Toronto told CTV News Toronto.
Nowrouzi-Kia and his research partner, Dr. Based Gohar, determined an existing staff shortage and poor work environment have been by deepened by the pandemic.
While Nowrouzi-Kia describes lab professionals as the backbone of the healthcare system, he said they feel under-appreciated and under-resourced compared with other medical workers.
"They're kind of behind-the-scenes. They're not public facing, so oftentimes, the public forgets about them,” he said.
Researchers found that lab workers felt such intense responsibility to turn COVID-19 tests around quickly in the third wave of the pandemic, that they skipped breaks from work to the detriment of their mental health and performance.
Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia says workers will only feel more overloaded if there isn't help for the sector.
"That could for example delay screening for cancer ... someone may not get their results on time and that could impact their health," he cautions.
Michelle Hoad, the CEO for MLPAO, said he wants to see more provincial funding to train the next generation of medical lab professionals and improve labs outside major urban centres.
"I think there's been a lack of understanding that everything that happens in our healthcare system relies on our labs," Hoad said.
Hoad applauds retention bonuses for nurses and new training facilities for doctors but says similar investments have not been made into medical lab professionals.
"We need to make sure that we are included in that conversation that has led us to the current situation," Hoad said.
"We have a mass exodus of people leaving the profession because they just are tired of feeling unappreciated."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Being harassed at work? What to consider when deciding what to do next
If you've been the victim of workplace harassment, it can be difficult to feel you're not alone - and even more difficult to know where to go with a complaint.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Half of Canadians support TikTok ban, with U.S. concerns 'trickling' north: poll
A new poll indicates 51 per cent of Canadians support banning the social media app TikTok, after a U.S. bill aiming to do just that passed in the House of Representatives.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.