BCNU and Interior Health Partner to Make Kelowna General Hospital Safer

Coming out of that meeting, we are pleased to jointly announce a partnership that is focused on developing a culture of safety and violence prevention at KGH.

The partnership includes funding from both BCNU and IH to pilot new security measures that will help keep nurses, physicians, and other health-care workers safer at work.

In addition to the security presence that is already in place at KGH, two full-time security officers will be assigned exclusively to the emergency department on a trial basis - one for the evening shift (6 p.m. to midnight) and another for the night shift (midnight to 6 a.m.). The additional security officers will be in place as of 6 p.m. on March 11.

Nurses will be consulted over the course of the pilot to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the added security presence and the extent to which the environment has improved.

IH is also currently surveying KGH ED staff to assess the degree to which they feel safe at work. Regular meetings will take place between staff and managers to ensure that ideas from those most affected are brought to the forefront - ideas that will further grow the culture of safety within the department.

BCNU and IH are committed to a safer workplace. We are optimistic that this collaborative, solutions-based approach to the reality of violence in the workplace will protect all health-care workers in their ability to provide safe patient care.

If you have any questions about the new security positions, please contact Demetrios Karogiannis, Manager, KGH Emergency Services, at (250) 862-4439 or Candi DeSousa, BCNU Steward at (250) 718-9217.