National Nursing Week 2022

National Nursing Week is May 9-15, 2022

National Nursing Week is a time to recognize the nursing profession and honour the important work of nurses. This year, we aren’t celebrating. Instead, BCNU is shining a light on the critical state of our health-care system and the devastating impact on nurses, patients and our communities.

BC nurses across the province are working critically short staffed, making it more and more difficult to provide safe patient care. Not only is patient care suffering, but the pressure of having to do more with less is having profound impacts on nurses’ physical and mental health.

BCNU Sharing Member Stories

During National Nursing Week, BCNU will be sharing five nurses' stories, releasing one short video video each day of the week on social media to bring public attention to the reality that nurses face. The featured members have been anonymized to protect their identities, and their jobs. Join us this National Nursing Week to demand that government take action and #helpbcnurses. Visit helpbcnurses.ca to hear their first-hand accounts.

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BCNU senior leadership was present during the morning session of the legislature on Monday, May 9 for an address by MLAs Susie Chant (North Vancouver-Seymour) and Harwinder Sandhu (Vernon-Monashee). In the afternoon, they were invited back again to observe Question Period and witness MLAs from across the floor spend the entire session discussing the current state of nursing in this province.

The BC NDP government spent the majority of the session on the defensive as Opposition MLAs from both the Liberal and Green party took the opportunity to ask what they plan to do to address the concerns of nurses and the dire situation that is unfolding in BC hospitals. Members of all political parties acknowledged the presence of hundreds of nurses at the provincial capital and how serious the state of the health-care system is.

Watch Question Period here, including comments from Opposition Leader Shirley Bond, Green Party Leader Sonia Furstenau and Health Minister Adrian Dix.

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Vigil to Heal Health Care
Monday, May 9, 2022 at 8:15 p.m. PDT
Victoria’s Confederation Garden Court

Join nurses from across BC as they begin National Nursing Week with a solemn vigil to reflect on the devastating impact our province’s two major health-care crises continue to have on nurses and our health-care system. This is an opportunity to find solace together, along with other first responders who are managing through the grief and sadness due to the overwhelming challenges of COVID-19 and the toxic drug crisis.

BCNU members are encouraged to wear black. A limited number of tealight candles and holders will be distributed at the event.

Provincial Rally – RESPECT NURSES
Tuesday, May 10, 2022 at 12:15 p.m. PDT
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia

Join nurses on the front lawn of the BC Legislature and support the call for government to respect nurses and prioritize our health-care system.

BCNU members are encouraged to wear their scrubs.

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To save the Facebook image on desktop, right click and then click Save As. On mobile, touch and hold the image and there will be an option to save.

On your own profile page, click the camera icon next to your profile picture. Click upload photo. Navigate to the BCNU National Nursing Week icon saved to your device and click to choose the new icon. You will have the opportunity to make the profile icon temporary and choose the duration of the change. Please consider keeping the respect nurses icon on your social media channels for the entire duration of National Nursing Week. Once you click save, your Facebook profile picture will be updated.

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To save the Instagram image on desktop, right click and then click Save As. On mobile, touch and hold the image to save.

From your own profile page, click the edit profile button. At the top of the page under your account name you'll see the words in blue that say change profile photo. Clicking here will bring a pop up message that says upload photo and remove current photo. You do not need to remove your current photo before changing the existing. Simply click upload photo and navigate to the icon on your device.

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To save the Twitter image on desktop, right click and then click Save As. On mobile, touch and hold the image to save.

Navigate to your personal twitter profile page and click edit profile. Hover over your current profile which now has a camera superimposed on top of it. Clicking the camera icon allows you to navigate to the respect nurses icon and replace your existing profile image. Once you click apply the new profile icon will be set.

UPDATED: November 23, 2022

Take Action to Show Your Support

This National Nursing Week, show your support by downloading the social media profile icon for use on your own social accounts. Please see the drop-down menu on this page to learn how to change your social media profile images.

Visit HelpBCNurses.ca to take action and send a letter to your MLA asking them to speak up in support of nurses and patients.