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Management Uses Scare Tactics to Frighten Public
Nurses in Oliver are furious that their employer has publicly claimed that their limited job action threatened patient care
Oliver nurses are furious that their employer claims their recent limited job action "was a potentially dangerous situation for patient care" at South Okanagan General Hospital.
The chronically overworked and understaffed nurses at the Oliver hospital were shocked and disappointed to learn that the Okanagan Similkameen Health Region had made that erroneous claim in a widely-circulated media release. The release was issued on April 10, after BCNU members at the hospital attended a morning study session.
BCNU members in Oliver, like nurses around the province, were in a legal position to take job action when the study session began. Essential service levels were maintained at all times during their four-hour study session and patient care was never at risk.
"If an emergency had occurred while we were in the study session," says Oliver nurse and BCNU steward Myrna Allison, "there would have been 17 registered nurses instantly available to provide care. In fact, the session was held inside the hospital, no more than 100 feet from the nursing station. If our patients needed us we would have been there for them – just like we are 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days per year."
Allison says BCNU members had promised management that in the case of an emergency they would immediately leave the study session and come to their patients’ assistance.
"I find it worrying," says BCNU’s Okanagan-Similkameen regional chair Fran Macdonnell, "that the first time our employer has spoken out about patient care is during our limited job action. Why don’t they speak out for patients, and nurses, throughout the year?"
BCNU president Debra McPherson says if the Okanagan Similkameen Health Region really cares for their patients, they should be lobbying the Health Employers’ Association of BC to give BCNU members a globally-competitive wage increase. "A substantial pay increase, plus increased premiums and higher vehicle mileage allowance is the best way to retain BC’s experienced nurses, to keep new nursing grads in BC; and to recruit more nurses to the province."
For further information, please contact:
| BCNU Okanagan-Similkameen regional chair Fran Macdonnell at (cell) |
1-604-785-8145 |
| South Okanagan General Hospital RN Myrna Allison |
1 250 497-8407 |
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