Weapon threat at Burnaby hospital

A shortage of security guards at Burnaby Hospital has prompted a strong warning from the BC Hospital Employees Union (HEU). This follows an incident on Friday where several staff members were allegedly threatened with a weapon by a patient.

Fortunately, no one was physically injured, but Lynn Bueckert of the BC Hospital Employees Union (BC HEU) expressed serious concerns about the insufficient security staffing levels.

“This crunch is making an already challenging environment even more difficult for everyone involved,” Bueckert stated.

She emphasized that the need for adequate staffing extends beyond doctors and nurses to include trained security personnel, particularly in light of increasing reports of assaults at various hospitals across the region.

According to Bueckert, a recent survey of hospital workers revealed that a staggering 67 percent experience staffing shortages at least once a week, with some reporting being short-staffed multiple times within a single week.

The union is urging health authorities to address the critical need for more security staff to ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare workers.