The BC Nurses香蕉视频直播� Union wants a better balance struck between the needs of patients dealing with addiction and the safety of health care providers.
The issue gained attention after a leaked Northern Health memo instructing staff on how to deal with patients using substances in hospitals despite prohibitions.
香蕉视频直播淲e don香蕉视频直播檛 want people with addictions further stigmatized around this,香蕉视频直播� BCNU president Adriane Gear said. 香蕉视频直播淲e need appropriate harm reduction measures and strategies, but we also need to keep people providing the care safe and we can do that. But it does require the employer taking this (issue) seriously and developing appropriate policies, enforcing them and providing appropriate education, resources and support for people.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淲e need to work on the safety culture, period. There (are a) lot of things that injure and harm nurses in addition to illicit substance exposures, so let us take this opportunity to critically look at the situation.香蕉视频直播�
B.C. United has cited the memo 香蕉视频直播� which says that 香蕉视频直播榩atients can use substances while in hospital in their room 香蕉视频直播� as evidence of government creating 香蕉视频直播渁 free-for-all with open drug use香蕉视频直播� and calling for the end of decriminalization.
Gear confirmed instances of 香蕉视频直播渋llicit substances being consumed in various care settings香蕉视频直播�, but could not describe their extent.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 difficult, but I can tell you that (Vancouver Island) has been a hotbed and WorkSafeBC has been involved. They have done inspections. They have issued orders.香蕉视频直播�
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The Northern Health memo points to an 香蕉视频直播渋ncrease in admissions of patients with possession of substances and using substances while in hospital香蕉视频直播�. It tells staff that the decriminalization means they should neither be searching patients香蕉视频直播� personal belongings for substances, nor taking them away if found.
香蕉视频直播淚 can tell you that anecdotally, we did not hear from our members on this issue prior to decriminalization,香蕉视频直播� Gear said. 香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 not saying it never happened, but it certainly wasn香蕉视频直播檛 something that was香蕉视频直播eported to the extent that it is now.香蕉视频直播�
Gear said nurses support harm reduction, but not at the expense of their own personal safety香蕉视频直播� and warned of long-term consequences given B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 nursing shortage.
香蕉视频直播淲e can go ahead and recruit all the nurses we want,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淚f we are going to harm them, if we are not going to improve conditions of work, we are not going to retain them.香蕉视频直播�
Health Minister Adrian Dix Thursday reiterated that current policies prohibit the possession and use of substances in hospital environments.
香蕉视频直播淭hey are unequivocal and that doesn香蕉视频直播檛 mean that they are easy to enforce,香蕉视频直播� Dix said. 香蕉视频直播淚s it easy to enforce the rules on Ward Six of Hospital X? It香蕉视频直播檚 not, of course, it香蕉视频直播檚 not.香蕉视频直播�
Dix said that B.C. is taking every step to ensure nurses and other health professionals do not become police officers.
He pointed out that government has hired 320 香蕉视频直播渧ery significantly trained香蕉视频直播� relational security officers in 26 acute care hospitals, adding it is not the sole solution.
香蕉视频直播淭his is not an issue of (decriminalization),香蕉视频直播� he added. 香蕉视频直播淭his is an issue of dealing with people in the health-care environment with severe illnesses.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淲hen people come to hospital, we do everything we can to help them get better and to keep people safe. That will continue to be our policy every day.香蕉视频直播�
