Patients consuming illegal substances have exposed Campbell River hospital staff to harmful smoke but Island Health says it has implemented safety measures to deal with the problem.
B次元官网网址淭here have been instances where staff in our hospitals, including at North Island Hospital B次元官网网址� Campbell River, have been exposed to smoke from a substance,B次元官网网址� Island Health says in a statement made in response to a request for information from the Campbell River Mirror.
Smoking any substance is not permitted within any Island Health hospital, the Island Health statement says.
B次元官网网址淗owever, Island Health recognizes and acknowledges the challenges our staff face when some patients choose to use unregulated substances within a hospital in a way that violates the policies and care planning put in place to protect everyone.B次元官网网址�
The issue came to light recently during the Campbell River city council meeting on Thursday, Feb. 29 when a delegation appeared before council objecting to the provincial governmentB次元官网网址檚 Health Professions and Occupations Act (Bill 36) and sought the cityB次元官网网址檚 support against it. During that appearance before council, physician and B.C. Conservative Party candidate Dr. Anna Kindy also offered anecdotes designed to illustrate problems with the healthcare system that lead to workers leaving the system and the province and a B次元官网网址渃ulture of censorship.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淪o, for example, IB次元官网网址檓 going to go back to the sort of policies that are enabling this to happen in the hospital,B次元官网网址� Kindy said. B次元官网网址淪o a patient can be smoking crack or fentanyl in a room.B次元官网网址�
Kindy didnB次元官网网址檛 give a time frame but said three healthcare workers were sent to emergency because they were exposed to the smoke of the crack and the fentanyl.
B次元官网网址淎nd what was the response?B次元官网网址� she asked rhetorically. B次元官网网址淲hen they went to the to the administrators? Did it go higher up? And do we need to change policies? No, it stayed local. And their response was literally to bring a gas mask for nurses to wear.B次元官网网址�
Meanwhile, if you smoke cigarettes in the hospital B次元官网网址渢hey will call security, and they will confiscate your cigarettes, and youB次元官网网址檒l be in trouble.B次元官网网址�
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Island Health reaffirmed that smoking cigarettes or any substance is not permitted within any Island Health hospital. But the statement also says that, B次元官网网址淭o be clear - at no point are staff directed to or asked to wear or bring a B次元官网网址榞as mask.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Island Health says that as per the organizationB次元官网网址檚 management plans and consistent with WorkSafeBC standards to protect all workers from any type of smoke, staff B次元官网网址渁re trained to wear a full face respirator during an interaction with a patient when smoke or vapour is present.B次元官网网址�
In this kind of situation, Island Health is balancing two objectives, B次元官网网址渆nsuring the safety of staff, medical staff, patients and visitorsB次元官网网址� as a top priority while also B次元官网网址渆nsuring all people are treated with respect and dignity and patients who use unregulated substances receive equitable and accessible care that is free from stigma and judgement.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚sland Health is committed to enhancing care and connection to health services for our community members, particularly in the face of the enduring toxic drug crisis,B次元官网网址� Island Health says. B次元官网网址淧eople who use substances face multiple barriers to accessing programs and services; these barriers limit their opportunities to connect with service providers, whether for harm reduction supports or to learn about treatment and recovery options.
B次元官网网址淭hat is why we have undertaken significant work across the organization in recent months focused on providing staff with training and resources.B次元官网网址�
In addition, B次元官网网址淚sland Health has developed and implemented specific education and training modules related to mitigating exposure to unregulated substances, and delivering harm reduction and clinical care for patients using unregulated substances. This training has been completed by more than 5,300 employees, representing more than 90 per cent of employees required to participate. The training is also mandatory for all new hires.B次元官网网址�
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