Support BC's Nurses
Workplace safety has never been more important
When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit, nurses rose to the challenge to care for British Columbians and throughout this crisis, our primary focus is on the health and safety of nurses.
We are working hard to ensure our members have ready access to necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) such as N95 respirators, gowns, gloves and face shields. Despite this work, access to PPE that meets national safety standards remains a concern for BC's nurses.
Nurses need your help while working on the frontlines of COVID-19. Do your part by following public health guidelines, such as:
- practice physical distancing – maintain a distance of at least 2 meters (6 feet)
- practice good hand hygiene - wash your hands
- wear a mask – when physical distancing measures cannot be maintained
- stay home if sick – do not go out if you are ill or are required to self-isolate
Doing your part can help keep case numbers low and hospitalization rates stable.
Help keep nurses and other health care workers safe in order to ensure someone is there to help you, when you need it most.
Fast Facts
- A 2020 UBC psychological health and safety workplace study found that over 50% of nurses reported high levels of burnout.
- The 2018 BC Labour Market Outlook projects BC needs more than 25,000 nurses by 2030 to staff BC's health care system.
- Statistics from WorkSafeBC show that of all industries that have registered COVID-19 claims, 65% are from acute and long term care facilities and nurses represent 28% of the applications for compensation.*
- BC Centre for Disease Control statistics show as of June 8, 2020, 136 nurses have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and account for just over 20% of coronavirus cases among health care workers in BC.
- An internal poll of BCNU members in May 2020 show that 1 out of 4 nurses do not feel they have easy access to PPE when they need it.
- According to WorkSafeBC the health care industry continues to be one of the most hazardous for workers in BC**. Data from 2015 shows that an average of 26 nurses per month suffered a violent injury on the job***.
*WorkSafeBC COVID-19 Claims Data by Industry
**WorkSafeBC Annual Reports,
2018, 2019
**BCNU Violence Prevention Brief, June 2019