Nurses celebrated amid safety and burn-out concerns

May 10, 2021 | 3:00 PM

The B.C. government is paying tribute to the vital role nurses play in the health care system, amid calls for governments to do more.

“Nurses are an invaluable partner in our public health-care system. They answer the call of service to help others on a daily basis with all populations and in all settings in our health-care system,” Health Minister Adrian Dix said as part of National Nursing Week.

Dix said the value of nurses has been especially true during the pandemic.

“We know and understand the emotional and physical toll the pandemic is taking on nurses, given they play a critical role in care delivery across the health system. Even though nurses are fatigued, they are showing true leadership and selfless passion by helping people heal in a very stressful situation,” he said.

The theme of this year’s National Nursing Week is ‘We answer the call.’

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In B.C., there are 41,608 active practising registered nurses; 13,928 active practising licensed practical nurses, 3,077 active practising registered psychiatric nurses; and 685 active practising nurse practitioners. There are also 686 retired or non-practising nurses who have a temporary emergency registration to support the pandemic response.

“I also want to recognize Indigenous Nurses Day, May 10, 2021, and celebrate these important health-care workers who work tirelessly to meet the needs of Indigenous communities,” Dix added.

Nurses are employed in a variety of places, including clinical practice, education, administration and research. They work around B.C. in hospitals, primary care offices, residential and long-term care homes, public health, schools, universities, correctional facilities, government, private companies and the armed forces.

BC Liberal Health Critic Renee Merrifield also acknowledged the contributions and hard work of nurses both now, and before the pandemic.

Merrifield, MLA for Kelowna-Mission, also spoke to the importance of providing nurses with the resources they need to support their mental health, especially as so many are facing increased stress and anxiety during the pandemic, and thanked B.C. nurses for their incredible service during this time.

As B.C.’s politicians send messages of thanks in recognition of the exceptional commitment nurses have shown to their patients, BC Nurses Union President Christine Sorensen is asking for government to go one step further and put their words into real action.

B.C.’s nurses have continually experienced difficulties accessing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) since the beginning of the pandemic. Their concerns are heightened as the risk of airborne transmission of COVID-19 was confirmed by the B.C. Centre for Disease Control last week, making appropriate access to PPE all the more essential to their personal safety.

Furthermore, despite the fact that the province ranks the lowest in the ratio of nurses to population in the country, no serious plans to address the nurse shortage have been given any priority by decades of B.C. governments, including the current one.

“Our nurses are exhausted, showing signs of burn out and an overall decline in their mental health. The pandemic continues to expose just how vulnerable our health-care system truly is when it comes to not having enough nurses,” said Sorensen. “We need action on this now so that we have enough nurses to care for patients today and in the future. All British Columbians need to press government for a real plan to support the nurses we have and ensure we all have the professional nursing care we need.”

by Pete McIntyre

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