A representative from the BC Nurses Union asked for Prince George city council’s help in improving nurse-to-patient ratios at the Monday, March 24 council meeting.
Union lobby co-ordinator Raelene Stevenson said that other jurisdictions like California and Australia have established minimum ratios.
In Australia, 7,000 inactive nurses returned to work after minimum ratios were established and there was a 60 per cent increase in nurse registrations in California, Stevenson said.
She also cited other stats showing increase quality of care and fewer injuries to nurses because of minimums.
While BC has put ratios in place, Stevenson said the province needs to retain and recruit more nurses to make them a reality.
Part of that is addressing physical violence and exposure to illicit substances that nurses face to improve their working conditions, she said.
In the last collective agreement between the union and the provincial government, Stevenson said, there was a memorandum of understanding aimed at recruiting more Indigenous nurses but more work along these lines are needed.
Local governments like the City of Prince George, she said, can help this situation by working on housing, childcare, transportation and recreation opportunities that make their communities desirable and affordable places for nurses to live.
She also said local governments can also help by asking the provincial and federal governments to establish their own policies that help achieve these goals. Before coming to Prince George, Stevenson said she made the same presentation to the Peace River Regional District.
While BC has recruitment incentive program for nurses, Stevenson said Prince George is not a part of it despite staffing vacancies in places like the emergency room at the University Hospital of Northern BC.
Coun. Brian Skakun said it would be better for BC to recruit and retain local nurses rather than recruit from other jurisdictions.
Skakun also said he believes Prince George needs to be exempted from legislation regulating short-term rentals so that nurses have somewhere to stay when they travel to Prince George for work.
This is important in part, Skakun said, to make sure the new tower at UHNBC can be staffed when it opens in a few years.
He said he believed this subject would be brought up on the Standing Committee on Intergovernmental Relations’ upcoming advocacy trip to Victoria.
Coun. Cori Ramsay asked how many nurses would be needed to achieve the union’s desired ratios. Stevenson said it would be in the neighbourhood of 3,000 to 5,000, which she acknowledged was a big ask.
Ramsay said that with limited training spaces at BC universities, the intergovernmental affairs committee has investigated looking into speeding up acknowledging the credentials of internationally trained nurses.
Coun. Kyle Sampson asked if Stevenson could talk about her requests in more detail with the committee and city staff so they can be armed with knowledge when they visit Victoria.
Sampson put forward a successful motion to refer the topic to the committee for discussion.
Coun. Garth Frizzell said it is an opportune time for the city to advocate for the province to increase funding to expanding training opportunities at post-secondary institutions.
Coun. Tim Bennett said he spoke with a nurse on a recent flight who was travelling to another city for work. He said when he brought up the idea of her moving permanently, the nurse said her family provides child care and she can’t convince them to move, so she has to travel for work.
Stevenson said around 35 per cent of the union’s members are under 40 years old and are likely to have younger children.
