Health-care lessons from an unprecedented fire season

Canada’s nursing shortage is so dire that many provinces are stepping up efforts to recruit nurses from the Philippines. And as producer Stephanie Dubois discovered from Manila, that recruitment process is a well-oiled machine with a lot of players involved. From the Philippines government, to recruiters, to nursing schools, the message to nurses is clear: better opportunities only exist abroad.

Health-care workers are making sure they're ready for increasingly severe wildfire seasons. An EMS manager and hospital co-ordinator share how they evacuated high-needs patients from northern Alberta towns affected by wildfires in 2023. And how their best practices have already been tested this year.

Dr. Erin Sullivan worked a gruelling schedule as a family doc in rural Saskatchewan, struggling to balance ER shifts with a busy family practice–while lacking the system support she craved. She explains why she decided to retool her career when it had barely started.  

A single book can have the power to help us heal. A panel of celebrated physicians and nurses, along with members of the audience, weigh in on the books that inspired them at a live event recorded at Hamilton’s Central Library, hosted by Dr. Brian Goldman. 

Judith Morrison needs a kidney. While she's on dialysis, her sister Catherine is putting out a public plea for a living donor. But the search has been hard. And if they do find a donor, the sisters say that person will have to go through a long and opaque testing process - one that experts say needs to be improved across Canada.

Provinces are permitting pharmacists to prescribe for minor ailments, but in Alberta, pharmacists have been doing that and much more for 15 years. Because of their expanded powers, they’re filling gaps in health care. But it’s raising questions about the line between pharmacists and family doctors.

Sharon Chakkalackal was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s at 38. Now, two years later, Sharon’s life is transformed – but not for the worse. Her days are filled with self-care, including exercise and community involvement, to treat and slow her symptoms. Dr. Brian Goldman joins Sharon on her volunteer gardening shift to learn how she's gleaning good from the not-so-good.

At 28 years old, Dr. Soania Mathur was building her medical practice and expecting her first child. Then, she was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s Disease. She tried to ignore her diagnosis for a decade, but as the symptoms progressed, she had to close her practice. Now, the self-described "Unshakeable MD" uses her experience as both a patient and a doctor to advocate for especially young people living with Parkinson's, as up to 10% of patients are under 40.

Attracting a family doctor to work in a community is challenging, with fewer physicians choosing family medicine. That's why Cheryl Gnyp, the recruiter for Castlegar, B.C., needs to stand out. She uses the board game Operation and specialized coffee as part of her 10-minute sales pitch to potential recruits at conferences. It can take years before a doctor starts working in the community, but she’s in it for the long haul.

The climate is changing. So are we. On What On Earth, you’ll explore a world of solutions with host Laura Lynch and our team of journalists. In 1970, 20 million people showed up to fight for the environment on the first Earth Day. More than five decades later, is it time for this much tamer global event to return to its radical roots? OG organizer Denis Hayes recounts how – amidst other counterculture movements at the time – his team persuaded roughly one in ten Americans to take to the streets. As he approaches 80, Denis offers his singular piece of advice to the next generation of climate leaders. Then, environmental warriors Maria Blancas and Axcelle Campana share ideas on what a reinspired Earth Day could look like – including making it a public holiday. More episodes of What On Earth are available at: https://link.chtbl.com/L2RFol4W We love to hear from our listeners and regularly feature them on the show. Have a question or idea? Email [email protected] if you’d like to learn more about the very special guest Dr. Goldman mentioned, please check out this classic episode of White Coat, Black Art.