Home / Education / Saskatchewan EAs Forced into Medical Care
Saskatchewan EAs Forced into Medical Care
1 Sep
Summary
- Support workers administer medical care without proper training.
- A student experienced a severe health scare due to inadequate support.
- Union demands provincial standards for medical support training.
Educational assistants and support staff in Saskatchewan are reportedly being tasked with providing medical care to students, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Saskatchewan NDP. A recent union survey indicated that these workers frequently handle medical procedures such as administering EpiPens, managing feeding tubes, and responding to seizures.
Jennifer Simmons shared a distressing experience where her eight-year-old daughter, Kinsley, diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes last November, faced a severe hyperglycemic shock at school. Simmons stated that the assigned educational assistant lacked the necessary training to monitor Kinsley's glucose levels, leading to a critical health event.
CUPE is now advocating for consistent provincial standards, professional training for staff, and a commitment to ensuring workers are not expected to perform medical duties without adequate support and protection. The provincial government indicated that school divisions are responsible for coordinating with medical professionals and families to provide student care, and for making staffing decisions to ensure student health and safety.
Simmons expressed frustration with the process, noting her daughter's school division suggested finding a different school better equipped for students with diabetes. She hopes to see a system where families and education workers receive the necessary support and training without having to fight for it.
