Violence. Not Part Of The Job.
Violence in BC health care facilities has reached shocking levels, with nurses on the front line. Public polling shows nine out 10 people in BC think more should be done to prevent violence against nurses.
The Facts
- On average, 26 nurses a month in BC suffer a violent injury at work.
- LPNs, RNs and RPNs alone account for 31 percent of injuries from acts of violence in BC. And those are just the accepted injury claims - research shows that violence in the health care industry is underreported by as much as 70 percent.
- The number of violent incident reports at health care workplaces increased by 52 percent between 2014 and 2018.
- Nurses are now more likely than law enforcement and security workers to have a violent injury claim.
Nurses Need Your Support Now
While these trends are alarming, they are entirely preventable. The facts support the need for action on this issue. Nurses continue to make headlines rallying to protect their right to a safe workplace, which includes being protected against acts of violence. Ninety-five percent of nurses polled in our province agree that 24/7 security at certain sites would reduce violence in the workplace.
Violence is not part of any nurse's job.
UPDATED: March 23, 2023
