'Extremely dire': Nurse union VP says staffing in B.C. hospitals is worst she's ever seen
The vice-president of B.C.'s nurses union says the staffing shortages and wait times in hospitals across the province are the worst she's ever seen.
Adriane Gear, BC Nurses' Union vice-president, spoke on CTV Morning Live Friday saying nurses that were hired by health authorities are taking leaves, resigning or choosing to work for private companies.
"I'm a veteran nurse and I can tell you that it's absolutely the worst that I've ever seen it," Gear said.
"We've certainly been dealing with short staffing for many years, calling on government for a comprehensive plan to address the nursing shortage but here we are. It's extremely dire."
Gear said it's her understanding that nurses working in a health-authority setting currently "have very little autonomy over their work-life balance."
"They can't get time off, they're working excessive amounts of overtime, being redeployed and some nurses are seeing it as a better option to work for a private company where they have some control over the shifts they work," she said.
CTV News Vancouver has reached out to the Health Ministry for comment.
Even with nurses shifting to private companies, Gear said they're still a "finite resource" in local hospitals.
"We continue to be very short-staffed in all B.C. hospitals, in our community settings and our long-term care," she said.
One thing that may help is to fast-track internationally trained health-care workers. Gear explained government has provided some funding to make this happen, adding that there are "good intentions" to improve the process.
Gear said the problem, however, is that nurses still need to be assessed to see if they require additional training and there's a limited number of nursing instructors available.
"While there's some funding there, we haven't yet seen sort of any benefits of how fast people can become credentialed," she said.
"We're hoping that that might be one partial solution, but really that's just a drop in the bucket."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.