The BC Nurses害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 want people with addictions further stigmatized around this,害羞草研究所� BCNU president Adriane Gear said. 害羞草研究所淲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.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲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.害羞草研究所�
B.C. United has cited the memo 害羞草研究所� which says that 害羞草研究所榩atients can use substances while in hospital in their room 害羞草研究所� as evidence of government creating 害羞草研究所渁 free-for-all with open drug use害羞草研究所� and calling for the end of decriminalization.
Gear confirmed instances of 害羞草研究所渋llicit substances being consumed in various care settings害羞草研究所�, but could not describe their extent.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 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.害羞草研究所�
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The Northern Health memo points to an 害羞草研究所渋ncrease in admissions of patients with possession of substances and using substances while in hospital害羞草研究所�. It tells staff that the decriminalization means they should neither be searching patients害羞草研究所� personal belongings for substances, nor taking them away if found.
害羞草研究所淚 can tell you that anecdotally, we did not hear from our members on this issue prior to decriminalization,害羞草研究所� Gear said. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 not saying it never happened, but it certainly wasn害羞草研究所檛 something that was害羞草研究所eported to the extent that it is now.害羞草研究所�
Gear said nurses support harm reduction, but not at the expense of their own personal safety害羞草研究所� and warned of long-term consequences given B.C.害羞草研究所檚 nursing shortage.
害羞草研究所淲e can go ahead and recruit all the nurses we want,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淚f we are going to harm them, if we are not going to improve conditions of work, we are not going to retain them.害羞草研究所�
Health Minister Adrian Dix Thursday reiterated that current policies prohibit the possession and use of substances in hospital environments.
害羞草研究所淭hey are unequivocal and that doesn害羞草研究所檛 mean that they are easy to enforce,害羞草研究所� Dix said. 害羞草研究所淚s it easy to enforce the rules on Ward Six of Hospital X? It害羞草研究所檚 not, of course, it害羞草研究所檚 not.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所渧ery significantly trained害羞草研究所� relational security officers in 26 acute care hospitals, adding it is not the sole solution.
害羞草研究所淭his is not an issue of (decriminalization),害羞草研究所� he added. 害羞草研究所淭his is an issue of dealing with people in the health-care environment with severe illnesses.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲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.害羞草研究所�
