Members Urged to Practice Precautionary Principle When Treating COVID-19 Patients

The 2003 SARS Commission report affirmed that the precautionary principle should be utilized to guide the development and implementation of controls used to keep workers and patients safe during future outbreaks of novel pathogens. Broadly speaking, the precautionary principal states that the highest level of safety control should be used until such time as there is definitive evidence that such a control is not required.

As nurses and other health care workers respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, BCNU continues to strongly advocate for the universal application of the precautionary principle as recommended in the SARS Commission.  In practical terms, this should include the continued use of robust physical controls, altered work practices and expedient and complete access to the highest standards of PPE until such time as any of these controls are definitively deemed unnecessary.

Unfortunately, there are concerns over the application of the precautionary principal in BC. BCNU recently conducted an internal member survey called, "COVID-19 in the Workplace" which collected the experiences of more than 3,000 members with accessing PPE. The results have been compelling, with approximately 54% of members in acute, long-term care and community nurses reporting a shortage of PPE at their worksite.

In addition, the majority of those surveyed (77%) believe that the current PPE restrictions have been based on supply rather than science.

BCNU believes it is critical nurses understand what the precautionary principle is and how it is applied when treating patients who are presumed to have COVID-19, or who have tested positive. Click here to access the supporting document "Applying the Precautionary Principle" to learn more.