Nurses Rights VS Patient Rights

 

A memo, dated July 7, 2023, provides guidance to Northern Health staff following what it calls an “increase in admissions of patients with possession of substances and using substances while in hospital.”

Hospital workers are told that the decriminalization of drugs means that staff should neither be searching patients’ personal belongings for substances nor taking them away if found.

“These can remain with the patient,” it reads. “Patients can use substances while in hospital in their rooms — they can either be provided with a Narcan kit or have one available. If a patient has overdosed on substances, we use Narcan and provide teaching.”

Staff are also told not remove personal items from the rooms of patients, “even if there is a knife or something considered as a weapon under 4-(inches) long,” it reads.

“We use our best professional judgement on this and risk of violence factors. The patient is asked to lock it up or ask someone to bring it home for them. We do not remove substances or vape pens, pipes or anything of the sort. They remain with the patient.”

Staff are also asked not to call RCMP or security to go through personal items.

BC United’s Shirley Bond, who introduced the memo during debate, cited it as evidence of the NDP having “created a free-for-all with open drug use” in calling for the end of decriminalization.

“Courageous nurses are coming forward all across British Columbia with alarming accounts of daily encounters with meth, cocaine and fentanyl use in our hospitals,” she added.

BC United’s Elenore Sturko said nurses “are so exposed to drug smoke that they have to visit the emergency room” and “many fear for their safety because of the weapons that are now permitted.”

Nanaimo Bulletin News. Author Mark Depner

Since the release of this memo nurses all across BC have been speaking up and sharing the same stories. Some have even said a couple women were caught smoking meth no more than a couple hours after giving birth and there was little the nurses could do.

What are your thoughts?