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March 20, 2001
Over-worked nurses concerned about patient care
Richmond Hospital nurses today rallied outside to protest the over-reliance on nurses working overtime and the negative effect this is having on patient care. Nurses say the hospital has not recruited enough nurses to fill the present staffing requirements. The facility runs on overtime everyday.
"We just can’t keep working like this. I am scared something terrible will happen," says Marnie Poulton, Regional Chair for BCNU, who is a nurse at Richmond Hospital.
The 10 bed Intensive Care Unit has eight nursing vacancies. Nurses who have already worked overtime are now being told they can’t say no to more overtime.
Last year approximately $1.1 million was spent on overtime at Richmond Hospital. In the first 10 weeks of this year, ICU nurses have worked more than 1,677.5 hours of overtime. That’s equivalent to two nurses working overtime everyday in the ICU alone.
Health care managers have to be responsible for solving the nursing vacancies and the systems reliance on overtime. Nurses call on the CEO of the Vancouver Richmond Health Region attract more registered nurses. In contract talks, BCNU is trying to develop real solutions to the problem by achieving compensation for nurses that is globally competitive. That is key to retaining and recruiting the nurses needed in BC. More than 1000 nursing positions are vacant in the province.
Debra McPherson, BCNU president-elect, says "without globally competitive compensation, hospitals like Richmond, will continue relying on overtime, which not only financially costs the public more, it puts them at risk. Over worked nurses being forced to work at double time pay rates just doesn’t make financial sense."
This month the Legislature in New Jersey passed a bill that prevents employers from forcing nurses to work overtime. The US bill is designed to protect patients and retain nurses.
For further information contact:
| Debra McPherson |
(604) 209-4253 |
| Marnie Poulton |
(604) 785-8152 |
| Pam Piddocke, BCNU Communications Officer |
(604) 209-4257 |
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