BC Nurses Union rallies in Vancouver against on-the-job violence

Hundreds of nurses rallied in downtown Vancouver Wednesday to demand action on violence in the workplace Wednesday afternoon.

BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) President Adriane Gear says nurses deal with less-serious incidents like pinching, spitting, and kicking to more-serious violence that results in nurses not being able to work.

“We know that there’s about 46 nurses a month in 2023, that have required a time-loss injury claim because their injury is so severe. And that’s fully due to violence,” said Gear, adding that’s almost double the number of claims in previous years.

Gear says while there have been incremental steps to fixing the problem, like health authorities adding security in some hospitals, many facilities across BC have no security presence.

She’s urging the province to beef up nurse staffing, saying the research shows that when there is enough staff on hand to provide the care people need, violent incidents trend downwards.

“We don’t have enough nurses to deliver the care. And so when care is denied or care is delayed, that sometimes triggers behaviors that are violent in nature. It’s not an excuse. That’s just the reality.”

Janice McCaffery, a registered nurse of over 40 years, recounted an experience in June of last year, when a patient, whom she says had a history of violence, had vomited on himself while she was on the job.

“I took him down the hall, to find a place that was private to get him cleaned up, I didn’t even get him to the bathroom, I didn’t get him unclothed, I didn’t even get the door shut. Nothing. He just sat up and punched the [expletive] out of me,” she explained.

Since then, McCaffrey says her life hasn’t been the same.

“I’ve got a master’s degree, and I can’t think. I can’t drive anymore, my independence is gone, all because of a senseless act that should have been prevented,” said McCaffrey.

“I really enjoyed being a nurse. It really gave my life purpose. Now that’s gone.”

Gear points out the province agreed to minimum nurse-patient ratios last year, but she says there’s a long way to go before those become a reality in many B.C. health-care facilities.

She says nurses are often discouraged from making official reports about violent incidents, meaning the true number of cases might be even higher.

—With files from Joe Sadowski.