Sophia Gabiniewicz is well accustomed to dealing with stress as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at St. PaulB次元官网网址檚 Hospital in Vancouver.

But she says it rose to a new level as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic began to swell and she recognized a familiar face in the ICU.

Gabiniewicz once worked with the woman, a B次元官网网址渧ibrantB次元官网网址� former health worker in her 70s, who told her she had never been hospitalized in her life and that the COVID-19 infection took her by surprise.

B次元官网网址淚 worried for this person even more than I expected to,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 hoped she would be OK, but I never knew from day to day what to expect. When I went home, I would think about her.B次元官网网址�

Thankfully, the womanB次元官网网址檚 story had a B次元官网网址渉appy ending,B次元官网网址� but Gabiniewicz said it made her realize how stressed she has been.

Gabiniewicz is among many front-line workers feeling the effects of months of strain and is urging members of the public not to bend public health protocols.

B次元官网网址 this week that a vaccine is on its way means there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but the risk isnB次元官网网址檛 gone yet.

B次元官网网址淚 wish that people would really be careful and take it seriously because itB次元官网网址檚 unpredictable,B次元官网网址� she said.

B.C. Premier John Horgan said on Wednesday that when officials announced some vaccine would be in the province by next week, the news allowed for a brief celebration that the end is near.

B次元官网网址淏ut before we get to that place, as in any race when you see the finish line you donB次元官网网址檛 stop running, you focus, you dig down deep to find that extra resolve to get to the finish line. ThatB次元官网网址檚 where we are today.B次元官网网址�

Christine Sorensen, president of the B.C. Nurses Union, said she has heard from nurses across the province who are working extended hours, overtime and forgoing holidays.

The workload for some has been amplified by British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 surgical renewal program, which seeks to catch up on surgeries delayed at the beginning of the pandemic, she said.

B次元官网网址淣urses struggle with moral distress. They want to help their patients, they want to be able to deliver good-quality health care, but they are also exhausted, showing signs of burnout and need time to rest and recover themselves,B次元官网网址� Sorensen said.

B次元官网网址淣urses havenB次元官网网址檛 really had that time to recover and weB次元官网网址檙e right back into a second wave.B次元官网网址�

A survey of union members in June found that 41 per cent reported severe depression and 60 per cent were emotionally exhausted, while 57 per cent reported high levels of burnout, Sorensen said.

The pandemic has only highlighted a pre-existing shortage of nurses and a retention problem in the profession, especially in northern B.C., she said. Sorensen pointed to a report by B.C.B次元官网网址檚 auditor general in 2018 that found more than one-quarter of rural and remote nurse practitioner positions were vacant.

The union wants to see a more fulsome human resources plan at the provincial level to beef up staffing levels, Sorensen said from Kamloops, B.C.

The Health Ministry did not respond to a request for comment in time for deadline.

Kathleen Ross, president of Doctors of BC, said physicians have also adapted to the added workload. But she emphasized that while health workers are under a lot of pressure, it remains vitally important that those who think they need medical care seek it.

B次元官网网址淢y fear is that our patientsB次元官网网址� responses will be, B次元官网网址極h, I donB次元官网网址檛 want to bother my doctor because theyB次元官网网址檙e burnt out,B次元官网网址� and let things slide,B次元官网网址� said Ross, a family physician in Coquitlam, B.C.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really critically important that we encourage patients to continue to contact their family doctors, especially if theyB次元官网网址檝e got a chronic illness, because we do not want underlying conditions left untreated.B次元官网网址�

Levi Elijah is taking a break from working as a mental health aide to support fellow workers as chairperson of the Hospital EmployeesB次元官网网址� Union local at Vancouver General Hospital.

Working at the hospital every day comes with some worry about contracting the virus, said Elijah, who uses the pronouns they and them.

After the initial fear when COVID-19 patients first began arriving at health centres, things slowed down during the summer, but the stresses rose again with the second wave, Elijah said.

B次元官网网址淲hat I have noticed throughout is the ability to cope and our resiliency gets reduced, especially now with the second wave starting and the numbers increasing. We are noticing a higher increase in mental health issues and anxiety,B次元官网网址� Elijah said.

Mike Old, a spokesman for the union, also said the surgical renewal program and second wave are highlighting staffing challenges.

The union, which represents about 20,000 long-term care and assisted living workers, supported the governmentB次元官网网址檚 move to limit workers to a single site as a disease control measure, but theyB次元官网网址檙e now facing pressure with a second wave and flu season underway, he said.

The government is training more medical device processing technicians and the union is also working with government to fast-track programs to train more health-care assistants, but it takes time, he said.

B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 why itB次元官网网址檚 just so important that people pay attention to public health orders,B次元官网网址� Old said.

Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

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