BC nurses speaking out about ER congestion

The BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) is speaking out about the shifting of health care resources by Fraser Health, saying it’s led to long line-ups in emergency rooms.

Nurses were placed into community and long-term care in an effort to alleviate congestion in hospitals, but the BCNU says it’s not enough and has caused a spike in ER traffic.

Last week, they saw a record number of patients waiting for beds, with some waiting for up to four hours.

The union is calling for more nurses working in community positions.

“We certainly believe that residents and patients do better in their home, they do better in long-term care, but we need to have the right number of staff in place. The right number of nurses in place to care for those individuals,” said Gayle Duteil, the BCNU president.

“We want it to be a success, because when it’s not a success, these patients then turn back around and come back into the emergency departments.”