when the ndp was elected in 2017, ending 16 years of liberal reign, dix said b.c. had the lowest number of nurses per capita of the 10 provinces. his government has since “led the country in adding registered nurses” — there were 43,985 in 2018 and 51,575 by 2022 — but has more work to do.
“when you started last, there is more room to go,” he said. “we’ve got to lead the country for a number of years to come.”
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most recent figures from the canadian institute of health information showed b.c. had climbed to just ninth place by 2020 for its per capita number of registered nurses.
the nursing shortage is exacerbated by health-care workers contracting the newest strain of covid. for example, more than 8,300 health authority employees were ill between july 11 and 13, the time frame that included the death of the north vancouver patient, representing five per cent of b.c.’s health-care workforce, the health ministry said.
and that number of people off sick is higher than for that same three-day period in both 2020 and 2021, dix added.
elizabeth saewyc, director of the ubc school of nursing.
paul joseph
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not having enough nurses to treat patients has “created incredible stressors on the health system,” ubc’s saewyc said.
“so we’ve seen what was already a shortage to start with has gotten worse. and there’s been early retirements, there are people leaving the profession because of the work environment, the intensity, the serious concerns,” she said. “it’s stressful when you’re worried that your patients are going to not get the care they need.”