A tentative deal between the provincial government and the BC NursesB次元官网网址� Union (BCNU) attempts to fix a staffing shortage plaguing B.C. nurses for years.

The deal includes a B次元官网网址榳orking short premiumB次元官网网址� that forces employers to pay extra to nurses working during short-staffed shifts.

The premium is intended to incentivize employers to hire more staff, says BCNU president Christine Sorensen.

B次元官网网址淲e have been constantly pushing the employers to hire more nurses and that, obviously, is still not meeting the staffing needs of the patient population,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淎t this point we needed to create some other mechanism to drive appropriate staffing levels.B次元官网网址�

Currently, Island Health has more nursing vacancies listed online than any other health authority in B.C.

Island Health is seeking 238 registered nurses (RNs) and 71 licensed practical nurses (LPNs) B次元官网网址� thatB次元官网网址檚 309 vacancies in total.

Comparatively, Interior Health has 204 nursing positions posted, Vancouver Coastal Health has 237, and Northern Health, 204 B次元官网网址� and those numbers donB次元官网网址檛 include postings for nurse practitioners.

Data from the Canadian Institute of Health Information (CIHI) shows that B.C.B次元官网网址檚 registered nursing work force grew by 3,290 nurses between 2007 and 2016, while B.C.B次元官网网址檚 population grew by 466,670 in the same time period.

The most recent data available, from 2016, shows only one registered nurse for every 159 B.C. residents.

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Sorensen said the situation remains dire B次元官网网址� both for nurses and their patients.

B次元官网网址淣urses are 100 per cent committed to providing safe patient care but it is difficult to do so in a system that is underfunded, understaffed and frequently is over capacity,B次元官网网址� she said.

The inability to provide adequate care creates moral and emotional distress for nurses B次元官网网址� causing some to leave the profession altogether.

B次元官网网址淣ursesB次元官网网址� psychological health and safety is of great concern, as is their physical safety,B次元官网网址� Sorensen said. B次元官网网址淭he fact that both of these are under stress is leading to more nurses either leaving nursing [or] going to work under extreme emotional distress. I hear stories from nurses crying before the start of their shift [and] during their shift and going home at the end of their shift emotionally exhausted.B次元官网网址�

The shortage creates long wait times for patients and what Sorensen calls B次元官网网址榟allway nursing.B次元官网网址� Plus, she says the frustrations of sick and exasperated patients are often directed at nurses, many already over-worked.

The lack of care can lead to some patients not seeking care at all, Sorensen added.

B次元官网网址淧eople donB次元官网网址檛 actually seek health care because theyB次元官网网址檙e concerned that they will either have long waits or they are not sick enoughB次元官网网址�that other people must be sicker than them.B次元官网网址�

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Sorensen said the tentative agreement B次元官网网址� expected to be ratified Jan. 21 B次元官网网址� is more complex than agreements made in the past.

The working short premium follows past deals that increased hiring quotas, but Sorensen said nurses donB次元官网网址檛 feel those promises were kept.

B次元官网网址淣urses are very, very frustrated with the lack of follow-through from the employer [B次元官网网址�] under previous contracts and that is being reflected at this time,B次元官网网址� Sorensen said. B次元官网网址淲e believe this will be the best way to incentivize employers to make the best use of resources that we have.B次元官网网址�

Roy Thorpe-Dorward, communications director for the Health Employers Association of B.C. (HEABC), which negotiates on behalf of the province, said the working short premium requires employers B次元官网网址渢o take all reasonable efforts to fill shiftsB次元官网网址� and the ultimate goal is to B次元官网网址渕inimize the number of times this premium would be paid.B次元官网网址�

Employers will have one year post-ratification until the premium is put in place.

HEABC told Black Press that the tentative deal also includes a commitment to create a Strategic Nursing Staffing Committee at each health authority to focus specifically on nurse workforce planning in that region.

Sorensen hopes B.C. health employers will explore ways to optimize education, increase awareness and explore other methods to attract more nurses and that eventually, B次元官网网址渆very unit across the province is appropriately and fully staffed.B次元官网网址�

Maybe there would be more nurses if schooling didn't cost an arm and a leg!!

B次元官网网址� Sara Leslie (@saraleslie51)

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Vancouver Island Health Authority and the BC Ministry of Health have not yet returned requests for comment.