Gag order still in effect for nurses
Trail Daily Times, March 22, 2006 
We welcome the Minister of Health's comments that nurses can speak publicly as noted in the March 20 Trail Daily Times article, "Whistleblowing fine as long as it's responsible, health authority says".

Unfortunately the ability for nurses to speak out is not part of the IHA policy. Minister Abbott denies that staff have been issued a gag order in the Interior Health and that nurses are free to speak publicly about their concerns. He also cites a new internal IH policy that allows for individual employees to report allegations of wrongdoing in the workplace, but it's not a vehicle for nurses to publicly voice their concerns about patient care or safety. This policy does not in any way protect registered nurses for speaking out. It's not the whistleblower protection nurses are asking for.

Nurses have a professional duty to report potential risks to patient safety at all times. A jointly negotiated process with the employer (Professional Responsibility Clause) gives registered nurses the ability to report potential and real patient safety concerns. Management has a responsibility through that process to act on their concerns. When a nurse has exhausted all internal processes in good faith and finds their concerns unresolved they need to be able to speak publicly without intimidation, harassment or reprimand.

The fact is that in the IHA, nurses have been subjected to reprimand for speaking out.

As far as nurses are concerned they will continue to be reprimanded or "gagged" for speaking out.

Nurses across B.C. want more than just assurances from the Minister that there is not a "gag" order. Nurses want real whistleblower protection that ensures nurses will not be disciplined in any way, shape or form for speaking out professionally and publicly about the issues that are a risk to patient safety. They want to be able to speak out without intimidation or harassment.

Tina Coletti, BCNU chairperson
(West Kootenay) Nelson