EMBRACING OUR COLLECTIVE POWER
Hundreds
National Day for Truth & Reconciliation SEP 30 2024
BCNU encourages members to learn about the devastating legacy of the residential school system and settler colonialism in Canada.
Show your commitment to Truth and Reconciliation by:
> Wearing orange on Sept. 30. Consider buying a t-shirt designed by a local Indigenous artist.
> Reading the summary of the Final Report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
> Using the 94 Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada as your guide to taking meaningful action.
> Applying the principles of Indigenous cultural safety, cultural humility, and anti-racism to your nursing practice.
RAVEN STEALS THE LIGHT BY ERIC PRYTULA
Members
Nurses cultivate high-functioning teams
leverage shared values to become effective leaders.
Survey
there is a long way
MISSION STATEMENT
The British Columbia Nurses’ Union protects and advances the health, safety, social and economic well-being of our members, our profession and our communities.
BCNU UPDATE MAGAZINE is published by the BC Nurses’ Union, an independent Canadian union governed by a council elected by our 48,000 members. Signed articles do not necessarily represent official BCNU policies.
EDITOR
Eva Prkachin
CONTRIBUTORS
Juliet Chang, Tina Cheung, Laura Comuzzi, Neil Fisher, Caroline Flink, Joel French, Adriane Gear, Jim Gould, Lexi Huffman, Kent Hurl, Kath Kitts, Shawn Leclair, Lew MacDonald, Courtney McGillion, Conley Mosterd, Christa Tran
PHOTOS
Laura Comuzzi, Neil Fisher, Lexi Huffman, Lew MacDonald, Eva Prkachin
CONTACT US
BCNU Communications Department 4060 Regent Street
Burnaby, BC, V5C 6P5
PHONE 604-433-2268
TOLL FREE 1-800-663-9991
BCNU WEBSITE www.bcnu.org
EMAIL EDITOR evaprkachin@bcnu.org
When you move, please let BCNU know your new address so we can keep sending you Update Magazine , election information and other vital union material. Send us your home email address and we’ll send you BCNU’s member eNews.
Please contact the membership department by email at membership@bcnu.org or by phone at 604-433-2268 or 1-800-663-9991
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Please send change of address to membership@bcnu.org
Publications Mail Agreement 40834030
BCNU respectfully acknowledges its offices are located on the traditional, unceded and ancestral lands of Indigenous communities across the lands now known as British Columbia. Update Magazine is produced at the BCNU head office in Burnaby, which is located on the traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of the xwməθkwəýəm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səÍilẃətaʔɬ (Tsleil Waututh) nations whose historical relationships to the land continue to this day.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
LISTEN TO NURSES
THIS JULY, I JOINED THE Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions’ delegation at the Council of the Federation meeting in Halifax. We attended the annual premiers’ gathering with solutions to alleviate the staffing pressures facing our health-care system.
When nurses speak, politicians listen. At our policy breakfast, we urged premiers to adopt a bold vision for public health care, ensuring access to primary care, accessible emergency services and choices for our elders in care.
We also called on governments to implement evidence-based solutions like minimum nurseto-patient ratios (mNPR) and mandatory longterm care standards to address unsustainable workloads and improve patient care.
Provincial leaders acknowledged that addressing staffing shortages is fundamental to fixing the health-care crisis. Years of unsafe working conditions and insufficient staffing have pushed nurses out of our public health-care system.
Premiers left the meeting knowing that nurses have solutions for ensuring access to care at all ages, and we’re ready to get the work done.
Our provincial election is coming up on Oct. 19, and it’s important for members to use their voices. Health care is a crucial ballot box issue, and voters should choose candidates committed to strengthening public health care. Talk to your friends and family about the severe staffing shortages closing emergency rooms, cancelling surgeries, and leaving seniors without adequate care. We’ve included an envelope of leaflets with this magazine to help spread our message.
I want to recognize the nurses, community members, activists and health-care workers who tirelessly support those facing substance use challenges. We will continue to support harm reduction while prioritizing our members’ health and safety. It is unfortunate that some voices in this election are politicizing harm reduction services, like safe consumption sites, that have saved thousands of lives.
We continue to make progress on the implementation of mNPR. After months of work, we are close to a finalized policy directive and have established the majority of hospitalbased ratios. Each health authority will establish joint regional implementation committees to monitor progress, with equal representation from BCNU and health authorities. Future work will focus on establishing community and long-term care ratios.
The union has launched an awareness campaign to educate the public on the benefits of mNPR. Visit ratiossavelives.ca to learn more.
As in all nursing settings, retention issues have a strong effect on the child and youth mental health teams who work for the BC public service. The wage gap between public service and health-sector nurses is worsening the nursing shortage at their worksites. These nurses, who work with at-risk children and youth, are bargaining their next contract throughout the summer. It’s time for the government to properly fund their work.
Negotiations for the next Nurses’ Bargaining Association provincial contract are approaching. I’m excited for a series of two-day regional bargaining conferences that will prime activists for the organizing work in the year ahead. We will share details with members soon.
This summer has been a time to reconnect, rejuvenate, and enjoy the season’s many events. Our BCNU campaign vehicles have been at many regional events across BC, and I recently completed a tour of worksites throughout the Kootenays. I want to thank those members who have dropped by during our various events throughout the year to visit and help us connect with others in your community. You are the face of BCNU, and when you speak, people listen. I’m proud to know that you’ve been there, speaking out for safe patient care.
In solidarity,
ADRIANE GEAR
IN
PHARMACARE PROGRESS AT RISK
Universal prescription drug coverage set to be a key issue in the 2025 federal election
CANADA IS THE only country in the world with a public health-care system that does not cover prescribed pharmaceuticals. As a result, nearly one-quarter of Canadians say they split their pills, skip doses or decide not to fill their prescriptions at all. That, of course, leads to more health problems and a bigger strain on our health-care system. The federal government promised a fix in 2019, but five years later, no new pharmaceutical coverage is in place.
The committee appointed to study the issue published its final report in 2019, and its recommendation was clear: a single-payer model of pharmaceutical coverage
with the provincial and federal governments together footing the bill for Canadians’ medications – a proposal often referred to as pharmacare.
Earlier this year, the government passed legislation implementing the first phase, which would cover contraceptives and diabetes medication. Despite pressure from the Canadian Health Coalition and labour unions, the Senate failed to pass the bill before it broke for summer.
With the Conservative opposition opposing the plan, Canadians may need to weigh the future of pharmacare among the issues in the next federal election, expected in October 2025.•
BIG GAINS AT SMALLER TABLES
Members outside of the NBA are fighting hard – and winning
When large-scale contract negotiations conclude, they make headlines. And rightly so. Province-wide agreements like the 2022–2025 Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) Provincial Collective Agreement bring needed workplace improvements and wage increases to tens of thousands of nurses. While NBA bargaining gets most of the attention, members at smaller, independent worksites have their own battles to fight in contract negotiations.
Raising the wages and working conditions of all nurses strengthens the profession, setting standards that can be improved upon in future negotiations. When nurses at independent worksites win, all nurses win.
Here are a couple of highlights of gains made at independent bargaining tables this year.
Hollyburn House
Nursing staff at the Hollyburn House Independent Living facility in North Vancouver have received a boost with the ratification of their new contract on July 4. For the first time, these nurses will receive reimbursement for their college registration fees starting Jan. 2025. This contract also improved their vision care plan, increased amounts for paramedical coverage and redesigned their sick leave provisions for better long-term coverage.
Their contract term extends into 2025.
Lílwat Health & Healing Centre
Nurses who provide care at the Health & Healing Centre in the Lílwat First Nation ratified their first union contract on July 9. This worksite organized with BCNU in 2023, and the nurses there attained wage parity with the NBA contract and reimbursement for their college registration fees. This contract lasts until 2028.
PRIZES AND ACTIVITIES L to R: North Okanagan member
Robert Neill holding a National Nursing Week prize travel coffee mug with steward Erin Noel; Donna Close of Jackson House in Ashcroft with her prize of a BCNU summer fun cooler bag; Thompson North Okanagan OHS representatives Amy Riley, site steward Erin Noel and Leah Fraser hold BCNU cooler bags at Nicola Valley Hospital and Health Centre in Merritt.
WINNING IDEAS AND LUCKY DAYS
NATIONAL NURSING WEEK
CELEBRATING NURSES
TNO region engages members with National Nursing Week activities
NURSES ACROSS THE COUNTRY celebrated National Nursing Week from May 6 to 12 to acknowledge nurses’ tremendous impact on patients, communities and our health-care system.
BCNU held regional events in many parts of the province.
“I think it’s important to recognize the incredibly challenging work nurses do, day in and day out,” says Thompson North Okanagan (TNO) Occupational Health and Safety Rep. Leah Takats, whose region held a variety of activities to mark the week.
TNO members also commemorated National Occupational Safety and Health Week, holding draws at worksites in 100 Mile House, Williams Lake, Kamloops, Merritt, Clearwater and Home Health. Takats felt the draw, which gauged members’ interest in taking on union roles in their workplace, was a big success.
“We were quite surprised at how many were interested in learning about how to become a steward or an OHS rep.”•
If your region has photos of events or activities you would like featured in Update Magazine, please send them, along with a description, to bcnucommunications@bcnu.org.
GOOD THINKING AND GOOD LUCK helped members win big in recent contests. To recognize Safety and Health Week in the spring, BCNU asked members to think about physical and psychological safety and submit their ideas about how to create safer workplaces. Three members who submitted winning ideas won an Apple Watch, and three additional members were randomly drawn to win $100.
The Apple Watch winners are Carly V. (Golden Health Centre), Csandra C. (Kamloops Mental Health), and Chelsea R. (Royal Jubilee Hospital).
The $100 gift winners are Brittany G. (Campbell River), Catherine D. (South Okanagan General Hospital), and Kari H. (Surrey Memorial Hospital). •
For more information on the Safety & Health Week contest, please see page18.
EVERY JUNE 11 MEMBERS CELEBRATE BCNU DAY, the union’s anniversary. Two hundred nurses attended the BC Nurses’ Union founding convention in Victoria on June 11, 1981. The annual BCNU Day quiz tested members’ knowledge of union milestones and the connections between workplace safety and minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Almost 900 members submitted answers, and one entry from each of BCNU’s 16 regions was randomly drawn to win an Apple Watch
The 16 lucky winners are:
Central Vancouver: Megan S.
Coastal Mountain: Donna S.
East Kootenay: Carrie L.
Fraser Valley: Kimberly M.
North East: Chelsea N.
North West: Samantha O.
Okanagan Similkameen: Melanie S.
Pacific Rim: Maria B.
Richmond Vancouver: Cindy L.
Shaughnessy Heights: Taki W.
Simon Fraser: Daniella M.
South Fraser Valley: Charandeep S.
South Islands: Karen P.
Thompson North Okanagan: Michelle L.
Vancouver Metro: Kamaljit H.
West Kootenay: Rise F.
A KOOTENAY ROAD TRIP
Regional tour reveals health and safety issues, impacts of nurse shortages, and the potential for ratios to enhance rural care
LIKE MOST RURAL communities in BC, those in the province’s Kootenay region face escalating health-care challenges impacting patient care. To learn more on the ground and solicit input from members in this region, BC Nurses’ Union President Adriane Gear, Interim Executive Councilor Denise Waurynchuk and West Kootenay regional council member Shalane Wesnoski embarked on a tour of BCNU’s east and west Kootenay regions in July.
During their four-day visit, the delegation visited Elk Valley Hospital in Fernie, Sparwood Primary Health Care, Creston Valley Hospital, Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks, Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital and Kiro Wellness Centre in Trail, and Castlegar and District
Community Health Centre. They held dinner discussions with members in Fernie, Trail and Castlegar, learning the effects of the nursing shortage.
In these communities, vacancy rates in some emergency departments have reached 40 percent, leading to closed emergency rooms and delayed care. In the summer months, visits to emergency rooms increase significantly due to increased traffic, tourism, heat waves and wildfires in the region –all of which make summer especially challenging.
“We’ve seen how the nursing shortage affects rural health care. Emergency rooms are closing, forcing long drives and delayed patient care,” says Gear. “We need a plan to improve health care for rural residents and to support nurses.”
Members told the delegation about significant health and safety oversights endangering members in these communities. Many rural health-care facilities don’t have 24-hour in-house security, leading to frequent security threats,” Gear remarks. “It’s not unusual for nurses to wait upwards of an hour for RCMP to respond to serious threats.” Equally concerning, members who’ve endured traumatic workplace experiences lack access to adequate mental health supports due to a shortage of psychiatric professionals in the region.
Gear reminded members about the NBA Hardship Assistance initiative, which supports nurses facing immediate needs or unexpected hardship.
Members showed the delegation wards where pediatric psych and non-psych patients
are rooming too closely together and units without secure sheltering spaces and adequate exits. “Whether it’s due to inadequate security design measures or a lack of security personnel, nurses are far too often exposed to violence,” Gear states.
In addition to inadequate safety in health-care workplaces, members noted that the vast driving distances between communities in the Kootenays can hinder proactive care. Case managers in community and home care sometimes oversee up to 350 patients. Long driving distances and dangerous road conditions throughout the Kootenays also increase safety risks for community health-care workers. Gear emphasized that minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in rural settings must consider these various factors, including the specializations and services provided in the region. “Regardless of where our nurses are working, urban or rural, acute, community or long-term care,” Gear observes, “minimum nurse-to-patient ratios will make a difference.”•
ON THE ROAD L to R: Eric Konkin, Lindsay Bennett, resident Geordon Omand and BCNU President Adriane Gear at Boundary Hospital in Grand Forks; Interim Executive Councillor, Denise Waurynchuk with Scott Monteith at Kootenay Boundary Hospital in Trail; BCNU President Adriane Gear with emergency room nurses of the Creston Valley Hospital.
IN THE COMMUNITY
BCNU members have been out and about in the community, engaging with the public, showing their support for various causes and enjoying themselves throughout the spring and summer.
Members kicked off the season by celebrating BCNU Day – the 43rd anniversary of the BCNU’s founding convention – at worksites throughout the Lower Mainland.
In Sechelt, Coastal Mountain region members participated in the community’s Canada Day parade. Members marched down Cowrie Street, Inlet Avenue and Dolphin Street, handing out BCNU swag alongside one of the union’s campaign vehicles, Following the parade, members hosted a tent in Hackett Park for public outreach and a blood pressure clinic.
Across the Salish Sea, South Island region members participated in the Victoria Pride Parade on July 7. Flanking the streets of Downtown Victoria, brightly dressed BCNU members greeted thousands of spectators, who showed their support for the efforts of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community to end discrimination in all areas of society, including health care. BCNU members up island in Ladysmith and on the mainland in East Vancouver also celebrated Pride events in their communities.
In the Interior, Thompson North Okanagan members once again participated in the Williams Lake Stampede Parade. Drawing spectators and participants from neighbouring communities, the Stampede Parade is a staple summer event for BC’s Cariboo region. With horseback members leading the BCNU parade crew, members of the public showed their profound appreciation for the community’s valued nurses.
Check the back cover of this magazine to find out how you can participate in upcoming BCNU community events.
THE PEOPLE 1. Members celebrate BCNU Day at Vancouver General Hospital. 2. L to R: BCNU Steward Lindsay Manning and Shaughnessy Heights LGBTQ Caucus rep Montana Allen at East Side Pride in Vancouver. 3. Members celebrate BCNU Day at the Arbutus Care Centre. 4. & 5. Coastal Mountain members participate in the Sechelt Canada Day Parade. 6. Members march in the Victoria Pride Parade. 7. BCNU members join MP Lisa Marie Barron (right) to celebrate pride month in Ladysmith. 8. BCNU Day is celebrated at G. F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre.
VITAL SIGNS
NUMBERS THAT MATTER
NURSES IN BC CONTINUE TO FACE LONG hours and overwhelming caseloads due to ongoing provincial labour shortages. Update Magazine has been keeping an eye on the numbers since 2019 and regularly reporting these health-care system vital signs back to members.
The latest statistics from the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) arrived in February of this year and reflect changes in the data between 2021 and 2022. While the nursing shortage remains concerning, there are some positive signs of improvement, with more licensed nurses working in the province.
SUPPLY OF REGULATED NURSES
NUMBER OF REGULATED NURSES WITH A LICENCE TO PRACTICE IN 2022
(These figures are greater than the number of employed nurses).
TRENDS
Despite growth in the supply of direct care nurses, more nurses left the sector in 2022 than joined. Compared with 2021, about 2,500 fewer nurses were employed in long-term care. In hospitals, the total number of nurses remained stable, but RNs declined by over 800.
These shifts may result from increased workload and intensity amid sub-optimal staffing levels, leading to burnout and stress.
Meanwhile, direct care nurses in community health agencies increased by over 3,300, and those working for other employers, including private nursing agencies and self-employment, rose by over 2,300 nurses.
These types of work environments may offer more scheduling flexibility.
PROVINCIAL 40,891 3,203 13,627
52,721
452,808 315,715 6,511 135,582
Source: CIHI (2022). Nursing in Canada, 2022.
IN NURSES PROVIDING DIRECT CARE IN CANADA
CHANGE IN NUMBER OF NURSES WORKING IN DIRECT CARE (By place of work, provinces/territories with available data, 2021 and 2022.)
ON A SUNNY TUESDAY morning, Shawna Atkinson balances her busy life between her two teenagers, supportive husband, and two energetic Australian Shepherds. Her daughter, a competitive soccer player, is preparing for camps at UBC and UVIC, while her 15-year-old son navigates his teenage years. Amidst the family hustle, Atkinson finds solace in her work and daily walks with her dogs.
Three years ago, Atkinson’s nursing career took a turn when she was invited by regional council members to serve as a temporary full-time steward. Reflecting on this opportunity, Atkinson recalls, “I was fortunate to have excellent stewards mentoring me beforehand, which sparked my interest in the role.”
Today, Atkinson serves as a steward-
at-large, while also managing responsibilities as the coordinator of site operations for Comox and Campbell River, expertly balancing the demands of both roles. To Shawna, these positions complement each other and enhance her ability to do what she loves: helping nurses.
“I enjoy seeing people thrive and feel empowered,” Atkinson shares, reflecting on the satisfaction she finds in her work. As she visits hospital departments, her hands-on approach underscores her commitment to the nursing staff. “Rounding the hospital is always incredible,” she says. “It’s rewarding to see the positive impact I can have on someone’s day,” she adds.
Leading two teams of stewards, Atkinson’s leadership style emphasizes support and education. “When someone is frustrated, I love sitting down with them, talking it out, explaining
10 QUESTIONS WITH SHAWNA ATKINSON
What is one word you would use to describe yourself? Persistent.
If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be? The ability to relax and balance things a bit better. I’m working on that.
What is one thing about you that people would be surprised to learn? I don’t listen to music.
Where did you go on your last vacation? Sailing around the Bahamas.
Name one place in the world you would most like to visit. I would like to go to England and Scotland.
What was the last good thing you read? It was actually an email written by one of our passionate ICU nurses.
What was the best piece of career advice you’ve received? I was told to keep current in a variety of specialties.
What do you like most about being a nurse? Collaborating with all health-care disciplines to make the patient’s outcome the best it can be.
What do you like least about being a nurse? Working short-staffed.
Name one change you would make to the health system? I would love to get to ratios faster.
GUIDING LIGHTS
processes, and seeing them feel empowered,” she explains. By focusing on helping nurses and encouraging their involvement, Atkinson naturally fosters solidarity within the workplace, resulting in more nurses getting involved with the union. For Atkinson, being visible and aware of the nurses’ personal lives is crucial, and her genuine care for their well-being is evident.
“Most nurses know me. I go to a floor, check the whiteboard, say hi, and ask how they’re doing,” she says. These informal check-ins keep her connected and responsive to emerging issues.
Her ability to connect with her team, understand their needs, and advocate for them has positively transformed the workplace. “Our nurses are just amazing,” she says.•
PHOTO: ROCHELLE BAKER
Nurses Vote
VOTING MATTERS
Provincial election a key opportunity to strengthen health care
THIS FALL, BC’S provincial election is a key opportunity for BCNU members to advance the union’s policy priorities and fight for the health-care system British Columbians deserve. Elections are not just times when parties and candidates debate policies as they campaign for votes – they are an opportunity for advocates. During elections, the general public pays much more attention than usual to competing ideas as they decide how to cast their ballots.
BCNU takes a non-partisan approach to politics and does not endorse parties or candidates. Instead, the union’s engagement in the election focuses on the issues that matter to nurses, health-care workers and the health-care system that serves everyone in BC.
The union’s Vice President serves as the provincial lobby coordinator, leading engagement with politicians and helping members raise the public’s awareness of the challenges nurses face in their worksites.
“This election is too important for nurses to sit on the sidelines,” says BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby. “It is critical that we speak out loudly and clearly on what is important to us, as BC voters consider the directions our province will take over the next few years. A stronger health-care system needs to be one of the items at the top of that agenda.”
Regional lobby coordinators, who are members of the union’s elected regional executives, have been engaging with election candidates across the province since the beginning of summer. They have used these opportunities to emphasize the importance of continuing the implementation of minimum nurseto-patient ratios regardless of which party forms government following the election.
Newby highlights that putting the union’s issues on the average voter’s priority list is key – and that BCNU members can make a significant impact on the outcome of this election.
“It’s vitally important that our lobby coordinators engage with candidates, but effective engagement during an election is about much more than that,” says Newby. “We know the best way to get politicians to take action on an issue is for the public to demand it. We need all BCNU members to have conversations in their communities about our key asks. That’s how we’ll have the maximum impact on the direction our province is going.”
To help members spread the union’s message far and wide, look for an envelope full of election leaflets in this magazine to share. Members can hand these out to friends, family members and neighbours to let them know that their vote matters. Members can also leave
some in the break room at work to engage with colleagues. When talking to people about this election, it is important for members to emphasize that their vote matters for our health-care system and patient care. •
MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE
Most voters enter elections with the best intentions to cast a ballot, but sometimes life gets in the way. Studies on election behaviour have shown that when people make a plan to vote, they tend to show up at the polls. Members are encouraged to decide ahead of time the day they will vote and think through how they will get to the polling station, or consider voting by mail. Advance voting for the election is open Oct. 10–13 and Oct. 15–16, with final voting day on Oct. 19. Members will need one piece of government-issued photo ID to vote and if they are not registered to vote, should bring along a registered piece of mail like a BC Hydro bill or a credit card bill.
More details on how BCNU is engaging in the provincial election are available at BCNU.org/BCNursesVote.
2024 PROVINCIAL ELECTION KEY ASKS
Nurses know British Columbians value our province’s health-care system, which has been under immense strain as a result of understaffing. Fixing the health-care system must be a high priority for all political parties in the 2024 provincial election. The following directions should guide our future government’s approach:
Implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios
The BC historic commitment to establish minimum nurseto-patient ratios in all care settings will help ensure patients receive the high-quality, life-saving care they deserve, address the nurse staffing shortage and protect nurses from burnout.
Invest in effective retention and recruitment strategies
BC needs to improve working conditions to help us retain highly-skilled nurses currently working in the system and recruit even more to the profession. With nearly 6,000 current vacant positions and an anticipated need for 29,000 new nurses over the next 10 years, there is much work to do to make minimum nurse-to-patient ratios a reality.
Rein in public spending on
private agency nursing
The province’s spending on for-profit staffing agencies to fill staffing gaps has skyrocketed from $8.7 million in 2018–19 to more than $160 million in 2022–23, using nurses who have been driven from the system. Those funds would be better invested in strengthening the public health-care system.
Provide safe and healthy workplaces for nurses and all other health-care workers
The provincial government must commit to keeping health-care staff safe by providing properly trained security 24/7 and working towards a workplace free of verbal and physical violence and abuse. It must hold health employers accountable for addressing the health and safety risks nurses regularly face on the job.
Address the deadly toxic drug crisis
The province can better support the work of nurses and save lives by improving harm reduction measures, expanding mental-health treatment and recovery services and ending the criminalization of people who use drugs.
Properly staff long-term care homes
Prioritize the establishment of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in all publicly funded long-term care homes to ensure seniors are provided the nursing care they deserve.
Expand community care
High-quality seniors’ care must include investing more to expand community-based care, which helps take pressure off the acute care system.
Take action on the social determinants of health
Government must take a coordinated approach to addressing issues affecting peoples’ health outcomes, including lack of access to health services and affordable housing, income inequality, and the harms associated with systemic discrimination based on race –w including Indigenous-specific racism – gender, age, ability and other protected grounds.
Make long-term investments in mental health and substance use care
BC must develop a publicly funded and delivered system of mental health and addiction treatment and recovery services that are regulated, evidence-based, economically and geographically accessible and available when people are looking for it.
HELPING NURSES IN NEED
A new $60-million Nurse Support Fund provides crucial financial aid and mental health resources to BC nurses facing unexpected challenges NBA
IT’S NOT UNCOMMON FOR nurses in British Columbia facing challenges inside and outside the workplace to reach out to the BC Nurses’ Union for support.
A recent province-wide BCNU member survey revealed some of the issues that nurses in every health authority experience in the workplace, including physical violence, verbal and emotional abuse, and exposure to weapons and illicit substances at work.
Every month, 81 percent of nurses said they experience verbal and/or emotional abuse, 61 percent said their units are exposed to illicit substances and 39 percent report being exposed to weapons. Forty-six percent of nurses prov-
ince-wide sometimes consider leaving nursing, and 36 percent are seriously considering leaving nursing or making a plan to do so.
“Members turn to the union in times of crisis and our staff have many tools to help them,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear.
Now, thanks to a new fund, nurses who are dealing with unexpected hardships or who need support for their mental health can receive additional assistance.
The Nurse Support Fund is a $60-million one-time fund negotiated by the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) and the provincial Ministry of Health to support the mental health and well-being of nurses.
“Members receiving these funds are very grateful for the financial assistance. I am thankful that BCNU has negotiated this money to support our members in need.”
Pacific Rim regional council member Kelley Charters
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE The NBA Supplemental Mental Health Benefit and Hardship Assistance are available for nurses who need support.
Of the $60 million, $6 million is allocated for the new NBA Hardship Assistance and the remaining $54 million funds the new NBA Supplemental Mental Health Benefit (SMHB).
“Nurses have been asking for more mental health assistance and we are meeting that need,” says Gear. “Both the NBA Supplemental Mental Health Benefit and Hardship Assistance give us more resources so we can better help our members.”
NBA HARDSHIP ASSISTANCE
In February 2024, the NBA Hardship Assistance launched, providing a lifetime maximum of $1,500 to nurses who can demonstrate hardship due to the immediate need for food, shelter or medical support not covered by healthcare benefits. This fund also helps members through family circumstances or crises resulting in the loss of wages or demonstrated financial hardship. Finally, members can also draw on the fund during climate emergencies resulting in sudden or unexpected circum-
“Both the NBA Supplemental Mental Health Benefit and Hardship Assistance give us more resources so we can better help our members.”
BCNU President Adriane Gear
stances, causing an evacuation from a member’s primary residence, loss of wages or financial hardship.
The NBA Hardship Assistance has temporarily replaced the BCNU Disaster Relief Fund.
So far, nurses have applied for the NBA Hardship Assistance for a variety of reasons, such as wage coverage, medical costs or to help with other expenses while being on a fixed income such as long-term disability.
“Members receiving these funds are very grateful for the financial assistance. I am thankful that BCNU has negotiated this money to support our members in need,” says Kelley Charters, regional council member for Pacific Rim and chair of the Nurse Support Fund working group.
At the end of June 2024, 617 members who applied for NBA Hardship have been assisted with a total of $925,500 in payouts.
NBA SUPPLEMENTAL MENTAL HEALTH BENEFIT
As of June 2024, NBA members can enrol in the Supplemental Mental
Health Benefit (SMHB) plan. In partnership with Pacific Blue Cross, the SMHB provides all members covered by the NBA provincial collective agreement with access to an additional $5,000 lifetime amount to cover the cost of a registered psychologist, social worker and clinical counsellor as well as internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy.
This benefit will reimburse members 20 percent more than the allowable per-visit limit currently provided by the employer plan.
All active, dues-paying NBA members are eligible to enrol. This includes regular full-time and regular part-time employees, and casual nurses.
However, dependents, including a spouse, child or dependent post-secondary student, are not eligible to receive this benefit.
NBA members who have applied for the SMHB include nurses who have reached their benefit limit for a registered psychologist, social worker, and clinical counsellor and nurses who otherwise don’t have access to benefits. •
HOW TO APPLY FOR HARDSHIP ASSISTANCE
Members can access their regional NBA Hardship Assistance application in the BCNU Member Portal under Members > Documents and Forms > Forms > Bursaries and Funding . Each application is reviewed to ensure the eligibility criteria are met. After an application is approved, members receive funds two to four weeks from the approval date.
Members can update their banking information through the Member Expense Dashboard, accessed via the BCNU Member Portal.
HOW TO ENROL FOR THE NBA SUPPLEMENTAL MENTAL HEALTH BENEFIT
The NBA SMHB is effective retroactively as of March 31, 2023. Every member who is interested in accessing this benefit must personally enrol, as the employer did not agree to transfer existing plan information over on behalf of members.
The NBA SMHB Fund enrolment form is available in the BCNU Member Portal. A link to the form and FAQs are available on the NBA SMHB page of BCNU’s public website.
Members must be enrolled in the plan before submitting a claim to Pacific Blue Cross. Once enrolled, claims from March 31, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2023, must be submitted by Dec. 31, 2024 . Claims from 2024 on have a submission deadline of June 30 of the following year.
The Nurse Support Fund Working Group, created by BCNU’s council, oversees the implementation of the fund and works to distribute funds efficiently to members in need. The working group also continues to monitor fund delivery and provide regular updates to members.
MAJOR GRIEVANCE ISSUES ADDRESSED
Recent settlements bring some resolution to several outstanding province-wide concerns
IN RECENT YEARS,
BCNU submitted several large-scale grievances on behalf of members affected by provincial health employer policies. The grievances – called industry-wide application disputes (IWAD) – are filed when a difference arises between the union and the employer concerning the interpretation, application, operation, or alleged violation of the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial collective agreement. Arbitration decisions following an IWAD – described in Article 9.07 of the 2019-2022 NBA contract – apply to all employers represented by the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC).
Major settlements have been reached regarding two of these grievances.
RESCHEDULING OF PAID HOLIDAYS
In May, BCNU successfully reached an agreement with HEABC that settles an IWAD the union filed in July 2020. The resolution of this dispute will enable members to have more flexibility around paid holidays.
The issue goes back to 2018, when, during collective bargaining that year, health employers asserted they were not obligated to reschedule paid holidays where a nurse is offered an overtime shift on a day previously scheduled as
a paid holiday with less than 14 days’ advance notice. The union disagreed with this position and, in 2020 filed an IWAD over employers’ failure to reschedule members’ paid holidays in such circumstances. Employers and the union were unable to resolve the issue and in 2021 the IWAD proceeded to arbitration before Arbitrator and Mediator John Hall, who helped the parties reach the agreement.
BCNU executive director of member services Deborah Charrois says the grievance settlement will allow members to reschedule paid statutory or rotational holidays when they work a shift on a day originally scheduled as a paid holiday without 14 calendar days’ advanced notice.
“When employers reschedule a statutory holiday without providing 14 days’ advanced notice, these incidents will qualify as a ‘scheduling event,’ and members may have up to 26 of these events per calendar year,” Charrois reports. “Any scheduling events beyond that will incur a day’s pay at straight time instead of a rescheduled holiday.”
COVID-19 PUBLIC HEALTH ORDERS
On July 26, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry and Minister of Health Adrian Dix rescinded the public health
emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. The end of the public health emergency means an end to vaccination requirements and other orders related to COVID-19 for health-care workers. The province has since introduced a new province-wide immunization registry for health-care workers.
In 2022, while the COVID-19 public health orders were in effect, BCNU filed an IWAD arguing that HEABC and its member employers must allow nurses who did not comply with their employer’s policies the ability to exercise their rights under the NBA contract.
The union also filed grievances and claims based on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms on behalf of unvaccinated members who were placed on unpaid leaves of absence and/ or lost their jobs because of the public health orders.
This May the IWAD and grievances came before Arbitrator Jacquie de Aguayo, who issued a consent award that provides a baseline remedy for all terminated members while enabling BCNU to seek additional damages for issues related to human rights and charter violations raised by members.
Charrois says that, with the conclusion of the public health emergency, the consent award regarding vaccination grievances is now in effect.
“BCNU members who were terminated because of Dr. Henry’s order may apply to their former employer for their former position – if vacant – or another position, or to be added to their former casual registry or registries,” explains Charrois. “Employers must recognize rehired members’ previous seniority, service, and anniversary date and reinstate any banks that were not previously paid out,” she adds.
Charrois encourages affected members who would like to resume their employment to promptly reapply with their former employer, citing the sixmonth application window to that closes on Jan. 27, 2025. She reports that BCNU is working on setting up an expedited re-hiring process for members who want to be rehired.
“If members are not rehired by their former employer for available positions, they should follow the grievance process,” she advises.
Charrois reminds members whose nursing licences have expired to reapply for licensure with the BC College of Nurses and Midwives. Members who have moved and are not near their previous employer may apply for new positions and port their entitlements over.
Members can contact their steward if they have questions about these settlements. •
Proud
of our
past. Building our future.
LABOUR DAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2024
The unwavering commitment of BCNU members has built healthier, safer, and stronger workplaces, setting the standard for health-care workers throughout British Columbia.
On Labour Day, we celebrate the hard work, sacrifice and solidarity of union members. By helping each other, we help working people everywhere. We are stronger together.
Happy Labour Day.
HEALTH & SAFETY
FRONTLINE INSIGHTS
New
BCNU contest
sees members bring forward creative ideas for improving health and safety in nursing
BC NURSES ARE SUBJECT matter experts when it comes to occupational health and safety. Unfortunately, their profession can expose them to a wide range of hazards and incidents in the workplace. Despite having expertise and experience, employers often leave nurses out of conversations about addressing and solving safety issues.
The lack of collaboration between nurses and employers motivated BCNU to launch a contest this spring dedicated to collecting nurses’ creative solutions and ideas for addressing safety concerns at their worksites.
The contest launched in tandem with North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week and ran between May 6 and June 11. It gathered 338 submissions from worksites across the province. Not surprisingly, mem-
bers were quick to participate, submitting innovative ideas that addressed issues around staffing shortages, toxic workplaces, workload and safety.
On June 24, BCNU’s Provincial Executive Committee selected three winners, who each received an Apple Watch. Three other participants won a random draw for a BCNU gift valued at $100.
Denise Waurynchuk, BCNU’s Interim Executive Councillor for OHS and Mental Health, believes nurses are natural problem solvers, and wasn’t surprised that the contest generated a long and comprehensive list of solutions.
“The hardest part for us was picking three winners because all of the submissions were excellent,” says Waurynchuk. “The contest gave our members a chance to engage with the health and safety needs of their worksites and exposed several key
issues that health employers should address. Many of the solutions aren’t complicated but could really improve working conditions for nurses.”
The submissions focused on staffing challenges, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, incident reporting, exposure to substances, violence and ergonomics.
Here are the three winning submissions:
IMPROVING INCIDENT REPORTING
Nurses often encounter barriers when trying to find a safe space to complete worksite incident reports which often results in many nurses not reporting at all. Carly, a member of the East Kootenay region, won for her idea to create a dedicated workspace for nurses to use to make workplace health call centre reports. The space would give nurses privacy to report health and
safety incidents on shift while indicating to other staff that they are not just on a break or on the phone.
PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
The second winning submission focused on the needs of community mental health nurses, who are often left without adequate supplies and resources when providing care to those outside of hospital settings. Csandra from the Thompson North Okanagan region submitted an idea that would give nurses exposure control with booties and safety outfits, bed bug supplies, a bag for respirators when encountering overdoses, sanitizer and basic wound supplies to support unhoused patients.
EXPOSURE TO ILLICIT SUBSTANCES
Open drug use in hospitals has become more prevalent across the province. In fact, results from BCNU’s latest Not
Okay campaign found that 61 percent of nurses are exposed to illicit substances at least once a month while on the job. Chelsea, a member from the South Island region, submitted a winning idea suggesting that worksites install specialized smoke detectors in patient rooms to protect staff and other patients from exposure to illicit substances such as fentanyl smoke.
BRINGING GOOD IDEAS FORWARD
Waurynchuk says all three ideas will be presented to health employers for future consideration.
“Our OHS officers will be following up with health employers to see if there’s room for collaboration to implement these ideas at workplaces across the province,” she says. “We believe all three are actionable.”
“Whether it’s self-care measures, ways of improving morale among staff or addressing occupational health and safety concerns, each submission we
BY THE NUMBERS
received was thoughtful and insightful”, says Waurynchuk. “It stands as a reminder that nurses should be at the table when employers consider how to create healthier and safer worksites.”
“This contest generated so many creative and exciting ideas,” adds Waurynchuk. “Just think of what could happen if nurses were invited to weigh in more often.” •
Members who’d like to get more involved in health and safety are encouraged to join their JOHS committee.
Joint Occupational Health and Safety (JOHS) committees consist of worker and employer reps working together to create and promote safe and healthy workplaces. They have a wide range of duties that include inspecting workplaces, investigating concerns and making recommendations to employers.
To join a JOHS committee contact helathandsafety@bcnu.org
HEALTH & SAFETY
IN
THE WORKPLACE
HERE TO GUIDE THE WAY
BCNU Enhanced Disability Management Program reps are partnering with members on their journey back to wellness
NURSING IS A DANGEROUS profession. The ongoing staffing crisis in the health-care sector and deteriorating practice conditions mean it is more important than ever for nurses to get support if they find themselves off the job.
Thankfully, BCNU members suffering from an occupational or non-occupational illness or injury have access to the Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) to help them get safely back to work.
First negotiated by the Nurses’ Bargaining Association and provincial health employers in 2010, the EDMP is a customized disability management program that any union member with an occupational or non-occupational illness or injury can access.
The program is based on best practices and is jointly administered by health employers and the union. It aims to enhance the support provided to members struggling with illness or injury by addressing barriers to returning to work.
Members become eligible for the EDMP in two ways. Those who miss one shift due to a work-related illness or injury or five consecutive shifts due to a non-work-related illness or injury become automatically triaged. Members who are struggling at work and casual employees may also be referred or can self-refer to the program.
Regional BCNU EDMP representatives are the heart of the program.
These individuals work collaboratively with program participants and a disability management professional from the employer to address barriers and develop a holistic case management plan. This may include medical intervention, transitional work, a graduated return to work, workplace modifications and vocational rehabilitation and/ or retraining.
MEET EDMP REP
KARLA MALM
Karla Malm is a highly experienced EDMP rep from BCNU’s Thompson North Okanagan region. She’s reflective
PATHFINDER Enhanced Disability Management Program rep Karla Malm is committed to helping nurses navigate the various supports available to them after suffering from an occupational or nonoccupational illness or injury.
when recalling her attraction to a role that combines individual advocacy, occupational health education, and proactive disability management.
“It was a new program, born out of a critical review of existing healthcare practices,” she explains.
“Coming from a background in public health nursing with a strong emphasis on prevention, I saw EDMP as an opportunity to pioneer a program that aligned with my values of proactive health-care management,” recalls Malm.
A member with a disability will need to engage with various thirdparty organizations and individuals on their journey to wellness. EDMP reps are there as helpers and protectors – someone to shield a member or advise them about where they should go next. They are navigators who point members to the resources they need, such as mental health supports, the union’s Licensing, Education, Advocacy Practice (LEAP) program, a BCNU WorkSafeBC or long-term disability advocate, or Service Canada for medical employment insurance, to name a few.
Malm says one of the distinctive features of the EDMP rep position is its commitment to ongoing positions rather than temporary steward roles.
“We were hired not just to manage cases but to build a sustainable program,” she emphasizes. “This continuity allows us to develop deep knowledge and relationships within the health-care system, benefiting
both nurses and employers.”
Malm underscores the importance of continuity for directly supporting nurses.
“By staying in the role long-term, we can build expertise and trust among our peers and stakeholders,” she notes, adding that the EDMP rep is a constant contact and resource throughout a member’s journey to wellness.
Just as important, BCNU EDMP reps are nurses, so members can connect with them “nurse-to-nurse” and be supported by a peer.
Malm’s role involves multifaceted responsibilities, from case management to liaising with health-care providers and advocating for members’ rights.
“We provide support across all stages of disability management,” she explains, “from initial assessments to facilitating return-to-work plans tailored to individual needs.”
BCNU EDMP reps also help their program participants to access rehabilitation services and work with disability managers and labour relations officers to facilitate the member’s return to work.
For nurses unfamiliar with disability management, their EDMP rep serves as a crucial guide.
“Navigating medical leaves and disability processes can be daunting,” says Malm. “We bridge this gap by providing education, resources, and personalized support, ensuring our members receive the assistance they need to return to work successfully.”
EDMP participants receive regular reviews and monitoring. Reps support those returning to work or transitioning to long-term disability benefits.
Reflecting on the program’s impact, Malm highlights its role in fostering inclusive workplaces.
“Our goal is to amplify nurses’ abili-
“We’re pushing for greater flexibility and innovation in accommodating disabled workers.”
EDMP rep Karla Malm
ties and ensure they receive equitable treatment,” she stresses. “This involves challenging outdated perceptions and promoting policies that support the diverse needs of health-care professionals.”
The EDMP has expanded in the more than 12 years since it was first negotiated, and today, BCNU administers 22 EDMP reps across the province.
Malm is excited about the recent creation of additional EDMP rep positions that were negotiated in NBA contract bargaining last year.
The future of the EDMP representative role, according to Karla, hinges on advocacy and education.
“We’re not just managing cases. We’re advocating for a cultural shift in how disabilities are perceived in the workplace,” she asserts.
“Employers need to understand the value of retaining experienced nurses and accommodating disabilities. It’s about human rights and the right to work without discrimination.”
As the EDMP evolves, Malm remains steadfast in her commitment to its mission.
“We’re pushing for greater flexibility and innovation in accommodating disabled workers,” she affirms. “It’s not just about compliance; it’s about creating environments where every nurse can thrive.” •
EDMP HIGHLIGHTS
The Enhanced Disability Management Program is a proactive, customized disability management program that supports employees suffering from an occupational or non-occupational illness or injury.
Program participants benefit from a holistic case management plan that may include medical intervention, transitional work, a graduated return to work, workplace modifications and vocational rehabilitation or training. The EDMP is solutions-focused and encourages collaboration between an employee, their employer and their union.
• All regular employees who are off work for one day with a work-related illness or injury, or five consecutive shifts with a non-work-related illness or injury, participate in the program.
• Employees who are struggling at work and casual employees may also be referred or self-refer to the program.
• Case management plans are developed collaboratively between the disability management professional, the employee and a BCNU EDMP representative. Plans reasonably address all barriers to return to work, including medical, personal, vocational and/or workplace barriers.
• All confidential medical information is protected.
CONTACT US
If you are struggling at work with occupational or non-occupational illness or injury and need advice or support, email edmp@bcnu.org or log into the BCNU Member Portal. Your EDMP representative is found under the ‘Contacts’ tab.
NOT OKAY
Provincial campaign exposes unsafe working conditions in health-care settings
WHETHER IT’S exposure to harmful substances and weapons, acts of violence, assault, or unsafe working conditions, the occupational health and safety hazards nurses face every day in the workplace are serious and happen all too frequently.
Members’ concerns around the rising number of health and safety incidents – and the seeming lack of action from health authorities to address nurse safety – inspired the BCNU to launch the Not Okay campaign this spring. Since then, the campaign has highlighted the need for safer workplaces and accountability from health authorities if they hope to retain the nurses needed to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.
Between March 1 and April 15, BCNU’s mental health and OHS reps extensively promoted the campaign at worksites across BC. An online form with seven short questions was
developed, asking about incidents of workplace hazards – and the response rate was overwhelming. In one short month, over 3,000 members had taken the time to explain how they had been victims of assault, witnessed or experienced acts of violence or had been exposed to weapons and illicit drugs at their worksites.
“Nurses have been raising their concerns about exposure to illicit substances, weapons and violence at the worksite level but don’t feel heard,” said BCNU President Adriane Gear. “The Not Okay campaign allowed them to share their personal stories and experiences. We look forward to working with government to help establish a better understanding that employers must do better.”
NURSES SHARE THEIR STORIES
BCNU collected data from the online campaign form between March 1 and April 15 and broke down the findings by
health authority. The responses quickly painted a concerning picture.
Members reported that every month, a staggering 81 percent experienced verbal and emotional abuse, 61 percent reported exposure to illicit substances, and 39 percent reported exposure to weapons. Nearly half of the nurses who responded said they worked shortstaffed every day, and more than a third said they were seriously considering leaving the profession or were already making plans to leave.
“These findings should serve as a wake-up call to health authorities,” says Gear. “They are responsible for keeping nurses safe at work. The employer has a legal and moral obligation to support their staff and make health-care settings safe for both nurses and patients.
The Not Okay campaign exposed serious gaps in how health employers support their staff.
The survey results showed the significant OHS hazards nurses face while on the job and highlighted another disturbing trend – underreporting. Over half of the nurses who responded reported completely giving up on reporting anything to their employer. One respondent said, “I stopped reporting incidents. My employer does not care and would
TRUTH TO POWER L to R: East Kootenay regional council member Denise Nelson, Interim Executive Councillor, occupational health and safety and mental health Denise Waurynchuk, and East Kootenay member Declan Bray share results of the Not Okay with MLAs in Victoria.
actively seek to identify me as the problem, not the workplace.”
“There is never resolve or follow up,” wrote another.
“These findings should serve as a wake-up call to health authorities,” says Gear. “They are responsible for keeping nurses safe at work.”
BCNU President Adriane Gear
“Honestly, I could fill one out every day. Usually, I am so tired I don’t have it in me to stay to fill out more paperwork. Almost always it is for unsafe working conditions. I feel our concerns fall on deaf ears anyway, so why go through the hassle,” wrote another respondent.
“We knew many of our nurses were having these experiences, but it was distressing to hear from so many who felt so helpless about the working conditions,” says Gear. “I knew we had to share these stories with decision-makers when we engaged in government advocacy work in May.”
BCNU BRINGS URGENT MESSAGE TO VICTORIA
BCNU’s provincial council arrived in Victoria on May 2, laser-focused on their demand that the provincial government hold health employers accountable for keeping nurses and health-care staff safe.
The Not Okay campaign findings
proved to be an integral part of the government advocacy work scheduled during the two-day visit.
Premier David Eby, Opposition Party leader Kevin Falcon, Green Party MLA Adam Olsen and MLAs of all political stripes heard firsthand from President Gear and BCNU regional council members about the serious health and safety risks nurses face in their workplaces, and why a solution is key to ensuring minimum nurse-to-patient ratios become a reality in BC’s health-care system.
“BCNU has pushed hard to make this province the first jurisdiction in Canada to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios – a policy solution proven to save lives and support safe working conditions for nurses, ultimately transforming the health-care system.
“Without immediate action, we will not be able to retain the nurses we have now and recruit the nurses we need in the future,” says Gear.
NOT OKAY CAMPAIGN MESSAGE CONTINUES TO RESONATE
Since unveiling the Not Okay campaign’s findings in the spring, the campaign’s messaging continues to live on in the union’s public outreach efforts and media coverage. During the union’s annual convention in May, over 500 nurses rallied at the Vancouver Art Gallery, waving Not Okay campaign signs and calling on the government to improve nurse safety in health-care settings.
“The campaign findings continue to help us explain to decision-makers, the media and the public that there is a direct correlation between safe and respectful working conditions and nurse recruitment and retention,” says Gear. “It is critical that health authorities and all levels of government understand the connection. It’s time they start listening. •
NOT OKAY CAMPAIGN SURVEY RESULTS
MEMBERS FROM ACROSS BC highlighted the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve workplace health and safety for nurses. Here is a breakdown of the types of health and safety incidents nurses regularly experience:
81% of nurses experience verbal and/or emotional abuse
61% of nurses are exposed to illicit substances
39% of nurses reported being exposed to weapons
⅓ of nurses said they were considering leaving the profession
2023 MEMBER COMMUNICATION SURVEY
How do you stay informed? Find out how BCNU is evolving to meet your communication needs and keep you in the loop!
There’s no such thing as a strong union without engaged and informed members. Members are the union and need to see their priorities reflected in union communications. That’s why BCNU’s dedicated staff of communications professionals work hard to keep members up to speed on union developments, opportunities to participate and plans for the future.
To ensure our communications stay relevant to members, we commissioned research firm Leger to conduct a comprehensive communications survey in 2023. More than 2,800 members took the survey. Analyzing this data helps keep track of trends, ensuring members get the information they need, when they need it.
The 2023 survey shows emerging trends since the last time the union surveyed members in 2021. As things change, the BCNU is dedicated to changing with them. Members can look forward to BCNU communications reaching them on multiple platforms and showcasing the incredible diversity of nurses across BC.
INFORMATION CHANNELS
Different audiences value different sources, types and frequency of communication from their union. Most members continue to say that eNews is a main source of information, however social media is increasingly favoured, and there are indications that members seek information from a multitude of sources rather than a single platform.
What is your main source of information about the BCNU?
LEGEND
WEBSITE AND MEMBER PORTAL
The BCNU website and Member Portal are important sources of reliable information for members. More members are visiting the website, and those members are visiting more frequently than they have in the past. The Member Portal continued to gain users, with 89 percent of members registered for this password-protected website.
How would you rate your experience with the BCNU website? *
How would you rate your experience with the Member Portal?
UPDATE MAGAZINE
If you’re reading this magazine, you are among our more than 39,000 readers (83 percent of the BCNU membership). Thanks for reading! Members report liking a wide variety of stories in Update. Print continues to be the most popular format, followed by online.
Which one of the following best describes how you usually read Update?
Read all items
Members continue to report high levels of readership and engagement with eNews and email bulletins. In fact, the union’s eNews readership has consistently grown year over year.
If you are not receiving eNews updates and would like to, scan the QR code to resubscribe.
Do you receive BCNU eNews by email?
SOCIAL MEDIA USE
Social media usage has grown slightly among members since our 2021 survey and the platforms members typically engage with have expanded, with a growing number using TikTok and X (formerly Twitter).
EMBRACING OUR COLLECTIVE POWER
Over 500 BCNU members gather to rally for life-saving nurseto-patient ratios, safer workplaces and the future of the union.
I am confident that we will continue to achieve great things when we work as a collective.”
BCNU President Adriane Gear
SENDING A MESSAGE
ur health-care system has never been under so much pressure and the need for BCNU to advocate for nurses has never been greater.”
BCNU President Adriane Gear
With this warning, BCNU President Adriane Gear kicked off the union’s 42nd annual convention on May 28 at Vancouver’s Hyatt Regency Hotel on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and TsleilWaututh peoples.
“Our members continue to experience unprecedented working conditions amidst a severe staffing shortage,” she told the more than 500 delegates gathered for the three-day event, setting the stage for the important work ahead.
Gear opened convention with an in-depth report on BCNU’s efforts to establish minimum nurse-to-patient ratios (mNPR) in the province. She told delegates that, since April 2023, BCNU has been working closely with the Ministry of Health and health authorities to implement this groundbreaking staffing solution. Now, thanks to the hard work and foresight of the members who carried the banner in the union’s Ratios Save Lives campaign, she reported that BC will be the first province in Canada to
implement nurse-to-patient ratios.
(Read our story on page 38 to learn more about BCNU’s Ratios Save Lives campaign to educate the public on the benefits of ratios for patient care).
Gear also thanked the members who shared personal stories of the occupational health and safety risks they have encountered in a recent province-wide online survey. This data formed the backbone of the union’s Not Okay campaign, which is demanding improvements to workplace safety.
“The conditions at work right now are unacceptable, and the results of our survey are not okay,” said Gear. “We are sending a strong message to health authorities to do their job.”
She reported that more than 3,000 members participated in the survey, establishing critical baseline data on the health and safety issues health-care workers most frequently face and underscoring the need for health authorities to do more to keep workers safe.
(Read our story on page 22 for more
information on the Not Okay campaign).
“It’s time to embrace our collective power and reimagine the future for our union,” said Gear before outlining several internal union initiatives designed to reinvigorate BCNU. One of these is the recent creation of the BCNU Ethics Office, which will assist Council in revising its Code of Conduct. The office also provides education, advice and information, and establishes a formal complaint resolution and reporting process.
Gear also reaffirmed the union’s commitments to social justice, saying that “truth and reconciliation, addressing Indigenous-specific racism, and ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusivity are important commitments that we stand by. This is ongoing work, and it needs to be considered in all that we do.”
BCNU ACTIVISTS ARE PUTTING IN THE WORK
BCNU Vice President and provincial lobby coordinator Tristan Newby also took to the stage on day one to celebrate the work of BCNU members who have built their skills and used their union as a force for change in their workplaces and communities. Newby encouraged members to get involved in BCNU’s many lobbying and advocacy efforts. He also applauded members in Dawson Creek, Fort St. John and Merritt for the extensive groundwork they have laid through worksite activism to support
BCNU President Adriane Gear calls on employers to ensure safe workplaces for nurses.
the goals of the Not Okay campaign.
He praised the work of BCNU regional lobby coordinators, occupational health and safety reps and mental health reps.
“They have become super-engagers, establishing their skills as a team, and they have been out there connecting with members,” he said.
Newby also acknowledged stewards and regional leaders for the work they have done to raise awareness of the challenges facing members across health-care sectors, and encouraging delegates to ask themselves how they might advocate for change.
MONEY MATTERS
BCNU elected officials had good news to report regarding the union’s finances and financial support available to members.
Provincial Treasurer Sharon Sponton reported that the union is in a strong financial position, and surpluses from the 2023 financial year are being distributed to four funds: defence (which finances job action), bargaining (for negotiating and strengthening contracts), infrastructure (for enhancing member services) and the Student Nurse Education Bursary (for building the nurse activists of tomorrow).
Sponton celebrated the successes of members who have accessed the LPN to RN/RPN Laddering Fund, which has provided nearly $1.2 million toward building careers.
She also applauded members for their participation and unwavering support for union initiatives. “Shoulder to shoulder, we are building a stronger union for all those we serve and all those who follow,” said Sponton.
Similarly, BCNU Interim Executive Councillor for Pensions and Seniors Health Meghan Friesen informed members that the Municipal and Public Service Pension plans are well-funded, with net assets growing for each. She also pointed to the Municipal Pension Plan’s latest 3.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment, which helps retired mem-
“We’re positioning ourselves to become the first union in Canada – the first in the world – to achieve something exceptional with minimum nurse-topatient ratios.”
Interim CEO Jim Gould
bers deal with inflation.
Freisen encouraged all members to sign up for a pension workshop.
“I am dedicated to empowering all of our members and helping them navigate their pensions,” she said.
BCNU Interim Executive Councillor for Occupational Health and Safety and Mental Health Denise Waurynchuk then took to the stage to outline several funds that members can access, particularly the Nurses’ Bargaining Association (NBA) Hardship Assistance initiative, which provides a one-time payment of $1,500 for members experiencing hardships. She also expressed her appreciation to those who helped make the initiative available for NBA members.
“We may not be aware of the difficul-
ties members who are applying may be facing, so I want to express my gratitude to all those who helped develop this initiative.”
BCNU Interim CEO Jim Gould wrapped up the convention’s first day by celebrating the union’s successes over the past year. This included the negotiated NBA wage rates that make BC’s nurses the highest-paid members of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU).
Gould emphasized that having a clear vision of the future will help build the BCNU into a world-leading union.
“We’re positioning ourselves to become the first union in Canada – the
continued on page 30
LOOKING FORWARD
Interim CEO Jim Gould envisions a future of excellence for BCNU.
first in the world – to achieve something exceptional with minimum nurse-topatient ratios,” he said. “We have an opportunity to do better and be better.”
Gould pointed to other innovations, including the launch of the $60-million NBA Nurse Support Fund to support the Supplemental Mental Health Benefit, which provides a $5,000 lifetime benefit to members and covers appointments with registered psychologists, registered social workers, registered clinical counsellors and online cognitive behavioural therapy.
“Claims are retroactive to March 31, 2023. There’s no waiting period, and casuals are also eligible,” he informed the group. “These are just highlights, and all the information will be shared in upcoming steward town halls in June.”
(Read our story on page 14 for more information on the Supplemental Mental Health Benefit).
Finally, Gould took a long look ahead and committed to making the union more transparent for members. In the coming years, he said union leadership will visit more BCNU regions, and the union will livestream more meetings and share more info on the BCNU Member Portal. Finally, Gould said that NBA members should look forward to an upcoming bargaining survey, where
members can have their say on how the union conducts the next round of negotiations.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS DR. JAMES MAKOKIS AND ANTHONY JOHNSON
Wrapping up day one, attendees enjoyed an inspiring keynote presentation from Dr. James Makokis and Anthony Johnson, a Two-Spirit, Indigenous married couple from Treaty Six (present-day Alberta and Saskatchewan).
The pair became famous after winning The Amazing Race Canada in 2019 and have used their platform to shine a public light on issues related to gender, sexuality and Indigenous peoples. Together, they are educating the public to change the perception of queer and Indigenous people.
Makokis and Johnson encouraged delegates to move from being bystanders to allies of Indigenous people in the health-care system, pointing to the importance of Indigenous medicines and respect for culturally informed approaches to receiving care.
“When we see something we don’t understand, we need to have an active curiosity that is respectful, so we know
what is going on,” he said.
Makokis identified fear as the main barrier to leaving and encouraged those in attendance to work to overcome it.
The couple’s stories and perspectives provided inspiring examples for delegates to be allies in their workplaces and communities.
CFNU PRESIDENT’S REPORT: RATIOS A TOP PRIORITY
This year’s convention celebrated the ongoing growth of the union’s renewed relationship with the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), which represents 250,000 nurses nation-wide.
Gear pointed to the importance of BCNU’s renewed relationship with CFNU and the opportunities this connection presents for amplifying BCNU’s efforts and having a stronger voice in Ottawa.
CFNU President Linda Silas echoed Gear’s comments about the significance of BCNU’s success in securing the provincial government’s commitment to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. Silas said these ratios represent the culmination of 20 years of advocacy on promoting ratios as a policy solution to address ever-worsening crises in nurse staffing.
BUILDING ALLYSHIP Co-keynote speaker Anthony Johnson emphasizes the transformative power of advocacy and collective action among nurses.
“Today, we are facing a crisis in nursing from Newfoundland to British Columbia,” she remarked. “Ratios are going to happen across the country.”
Silas said she has been busy sharing the story of BCNU’s efforts at events across Canada and in countries around the world, inspiring nurses everywhere to work towards similar commitments with their own governments.
“Ratios are going to happen across the country.”
CFNU President Linda Silas
Silas noted that minimum nurse-topatient ratios are more important than ever, and can help fill 44,500 full-time equivalent vacant nursing positions across Canada. She said minimum nurse-to-patient ratios are a winnable campaign issue with a public desperate to see solutions to address rising rates of unintentional patient harm, staff absenteeism and overtime.
Finally, Silas ended with a nod to the impact of ratios across the country, noting that the CFNU will focus on promoting minimum nurse-to-patient ratios as a federal election approaches on or before Oct. 20, 2025.
BYLAW AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS
There was lively discussion on day two of Convention 2024 as delegates debated proposed amendments to BCNU’s Constitution and Bylaws.
An amendment to Article 5 was carried that allows the Nominations Committee to amend the ticket of nominations for elections, including the removal of a candidate’s name from the ballot when they choose to withdraw or move out of the province. The change is largely procedural and aims to avoid voter confusion.
Delegates defeated an amendment to Article 7 that would have allowed all members of the province to elect the member representatives of the bargaining committee instead of those representatives being elected by delegates of the Provincial Bargaining Conference.
An amendment to Article 4 was also defeated that would have added a second Pacific Rim regional council member to the BCNU Council.
Also defeated was a motion to amend Article 1 that would have prevented members in excluded management positions from attending union meetings, running for elected union positions or filling BCNU staff positions.
Delegates debated one bylaw amendment and four resolutions on the final day of convention.
AFTER-HOURS EVENTS RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY
CONVENTION 2024 PARTICIPANTS ENJOYED MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO connect outside the convention floor. This included a meet-and-greet event with union president Adriane Gear. Members attending the event were able to spend time with the president and other elected union leaders, sharing their perspectives and building relationships. This year’s convention banquet included a creative Met Gala-style event. Nurses representing BCNU’s various regions showed off their fashion sense and wore haute couture creations with a nod to nursing. Host region Shaughnessy Heights raised funds for their charity of choice, the BC Epilepsy Society. The event raised over $16,000, including a $2,500 donation from BCNU.
An amendment to Article 7 passed that will see member representatives elected to serve on the NBA provincial bargaining committee be put on paid union leave from their employer or elected union position. This includes regional council members who have previously at times served in both roles simultaneously.
Delegates debated and defeated four resolutions that called on the union to:
• Allow members to hold two fulltime union positions at the same time but only work one of them at a time.
• Make council meetings viewable live online to members, with the recording posted for members to view behind the BCNU Member Portal.
• Develop an app to aid members in reporting workplace health and safety issues.
• Investigate Municipal Pension Plan investments to determine if they are invested in weapons production and report the findings to members.
Seven other resolutions did not enter into debate due to time constraints. They will now become
continued on page 34
CHARITABLE GIVING BCNU presents a cheque for $16,910 to the BC Epilepsy Society (BCES) on July 10 at the union’s Burnaby office. L to R: BCNU President Adriane Gear, BCES Executive Director Deidre Syms, BCNU Shaughnessy Heights regional council member Claudette Jut and BCES Provincial Manager of Programs and Services Sonia Velji.
RATIOS
CONVENTION 2024 POSTCARDS
1. North East region member Taylar Endean, Thompson North Okanagan region members Laura Dion and Ethan Smith. 2. Pacific Rim region members Gaydene Vallee and Andrea Schulte. 3. Vancouver Metro region member Sapna Oommen, EDMP rep Sukhjit Kaur, South Fraser Valley region member Raminder Sekhon. 4. Thompson North Okanagan region member Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali, Fraser Valley region member Lily Osekre. 5. BCNU’s Provincial Executive Committee rally through the streets of downtown Vancouver. 6. Pacific Rim region members gather following the union’s rally on the steps of the Vancouver Art Gallery. 7. Co-keynote speaker Dr. James Makokis speaks about the urgent need for decolonization and systemic reform in health care. 8. North West region member (student) Anker Patel and Canadian Nursing Students’ Association President Tiffany Campbell. 9. Simon Fraser region members Amrita Alexiev and Stephanie Ahokas. 10. South Islands region member Rupi Badh, Simon Fraser region member Marissa Bruchmann, Central Vancouver region member Simran Bir. 11. Simon Fraser region members Latasha Ramdharry, Meredith Lapp, Nicholas
Landstrom and Romy Durand. 12. Member Educators wore stickers to entice attendees to join a Building Union Strength course. 13. Thompson North Okanagan region members Jennifer Marinello, Tracy Musey and Justine Musey. 14. Knowledge Sharer Carla George of Squamish Nation, wearing a cedar woven hat, stands at a podium to welcome attendees. 15. BCNU members bring their message to the Vancouver Art Gallery during the union’s May 30 rally. 16. Simon Fraser region member Jude Villanueva marches with over 500 other nurses through the streets of Vancouver. 17. Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions President Linda Silas commends BCNU members for making ratios a reality. 18. Thompson North Okanagan region member Adigo Angela Achoba-Omajali participates in a bylaws and resolutions session. 19. Hundreds of members assembled in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery during the convention rally. 20. Richmond Vancouver region member Vanessa Yan, South Fraser Valley region member Noel Atilano and Central Vancouver region member Jeana Dagasdas.
SPEAKING OUT FOR SAFETY
the business of BCNU Council to consider and report back to members within six months.
RECOGNIZING OUR UNION TRAILBLAZERS
BCNU took the opportunity to recognize several outgoing regional council members during a convention banquet on night two. The union thanked regional council members Hardev Bhullar and Walter Lumamba (South Fraser Valley), Marlene Goertzen, Judith McGrath and Kelly Zander (Central Vancouver), Rachel Kimler (Pacific Rim), Carly Koeppen (South Islands), Kath-Ann Terrett (Coastal Mountain) and former President Aman Grewal for their contributions.
These dedicated union leaders will be missed, but their strong impact and legacy of activism has positively influenced BCNU Council for years to come.
RALLYING FOR RATIOS
Convention 2024 culminated in a lively rally attended by more than 500 nurses from every health authority in the province, who took to the streets chanting “Hey! Hey! Ho! Ho! Ratios work! Nurses know!” The group marched
“Shoulder-to-shoulder, we are building a stronger union for all those we serve and all those who follow.”
BCNU Provincial Treasurer Sharon Sponton
to the Vancouver Art Gallery waving signs and flags. They called for an end to unsafe working conditions in health care and demanded that the government work to retain and attract nurses back to the profession.
“The last year has been hard for many of you,” said BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby from the steps of the art gallery.
“Physical violence and emotional abuse have become the norm. Weapons are being brought into health-care facilities and many of you have been exposed to illicit substances,” he acknowledged. “This is why we are rallying today.”
The energetic rally underscored the union’s urgent message that the health and safety risks nurses face at work are unacceptable and could hinder retention and recruitment efforts needed to implement minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.
MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER
As convention 2024 came to a close, Gear delivered a powerful message emphasizing the importance of collective action and the need for delegates to bring the lessons learned over the previous three days back to their communities.
She wrapped up the annual meeting with a nod to the future by urging delegates to carry forward the spirit of unity and collective action that infused convention 2024. Gear emphasized the ongoing fight for fairness and the importance of members’ combined efforts in achieving meaningful change.
“Let’s remain united and committed to our shared goals,” she said. “I am confident that we will continue to achieve great things when we work as a collective.” •
BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby rallies the members in downtown Vancouver.
RECOGNIZING UNION STALWARTS AWARDS
EMBODYING UNION VALUES
BCNU’S ANNUAL convention included some time for union President Adriane Gear to present the 2024 BCNU Leadership Awards. Gear paid tribute to two members: Laura Starck, recipient of the NU Leader Award, and Juanita Little, recipient of the Excellence in Leadership and Advocacy Award. “Starck and Little have each contributed to their profession in many ways worthy of recognition,” said Gear.
Starck is a registered
nurse at Vancouver General Hospital who has filled roles on her region’s executive team including treasurer, lobby coordinator and steward at large. Her tremendous efforts have included a pivotal role spearheading an ER campaign at Vancouver General Hospital that shed light on pressing issues faced by nurses in emergency departments around the province.
Little is a registered nurse in the union’s Thompson North Okanagan region
HONOURED ADVOCATES
with 28 years of nursing experience. She works as the community integration care coordinator for home and community care at Ashcroft and District General Hospital. Some of her work has helped to provide rural and remote home health services to Lytton as it rebuilds from the devastating wildfires of 2021.
Each award includes a $1,000 cash prize, along with a beautiful, timeless keepsake – a standing award placard with a motif of the
By recognizing their uplifting work, BCNU continues its commitment to supporting outstanding activists. Day two of Convention 2024 included an opportunity for delegates to applaud the exceptional work of their two peers and hear from the recipients of these well-deserved awards.
original work of art by Haida artist Erik Prytula, titled Raven Steals the Light
Juanita Little
RAVEN STEALS THE LIGHT ERIK PRYTULA
NU LEADER AWARD RECIPIENT
Laura Starck
BARGAINING UPDATE
FIGHTING FOR FAIRNESS
A LIFELINE FOR AT-RISK CHILDREN AND YOUTH
BCNU members are fighting to keep public service nursing alive – and to safeguard vulnerable kids
and retaining nurses in the public service is one way the government can remedy these inconsistencies and support children and youth with complex mental health needs.
THE NURSES OF THE public service are passionate about their jobs. They have to be – many of these members work with some of the province’s most vulnerable children and youth, often under extremely challenging conditions.
“I love my job, and I love being part of a team that is making systemic changes for the kids that we care for,” says Julie Dutt, a community-based mental health clinician and public service bargaining committee member. Despite having strong experience in the field, Dutt has observed that the work has become increasingly complex in recent years.
“Since the pandemic, we’ve seen a major uptick in
children and youth presenting with significant mental health issues such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders, depression, and suicidal ideation,” says Dutt. “These children may also be at highrisk for sexual exploitation, substance use and other high risk situations. It’s a lot, because the caseloads are so complex, and the need for intervention is so pressing.”
Dutt’s teams deal with children and youth in psychiatric crisis who are also experiencing social stressors or behavioural challenges. They act as a hub for these children in crisis, connecting them to other mental health services, providing outreach to families, the community and schools, and creating safety plans.
“All nursing positions deserve to be compensated appropriately. We don’t want to see nursing positions disappear because of wage disparity.”
Fast
Treating these high-risk and high-intensity children and youth demands experienced nurses with specialized skills. “You’re looking for seasoned psychiatric nurses,” says Dutt, “who have excellent assessment skills, a strong knowledge of medications and their effects, a solid base in developmental trauma, and the ability to work in very complex systems.”
As recruitment and retention issues worsen in the public service, the demand for specialized care has increased. Following several tragic deaths of children in care throughout the province, recent reports from the Representative for Children and Youth paint a bleak picture of the inconsistencies in care for vulnerable children in BC. They point to the negative impacts of unhealthy working conditions, overwhelming caseloads, and challenges in integrating care teams across various ministries and service delivery lines on the care delivered to vulnerable children and youth. Recruiting
While this nursing work is incredibly challenging, short-staffing due to the difficulty of recruiting and retaining nurses makes the job even more difficult. Since negotiating the last public service contract in 2021, one in four nurses has left the public service. Many have moved to other nursing settings, while others have left the profession entirely. Dutt attributes the decline in staffing to wage inequities in the public service compared to health authorities.
“Without the ability to offer compensation on par with what other nurses get, it’s extremely difficult to attract skilled psychiatric nurses to the public service,” says Dutt.
Some public service nurses make between $6 and $14 less per hour than nurses who work under the NBA provincial collective agreement. Almost half of the nurses in the public service cannot access step ten on the wage grid, limiting compensation for the experienced nurses most needed in community-based jobs. Additionally, unlike nurses under the provincial NBA agreement, these members cannot access the
THE GOVERNMENT’S OWN
L to R: Public serivce members
Nurse Support Fund.
In recent contract negotiations with their employer, these public service nurses are emphasizing wage parity, training, more job opportunities for qualified and interested nurses, and more access to mental health support. But it’s been an uphill battle. The public service nursing contract expired in 2022, and negotiations with the employer moved slowly from the outset, with multiple bargaining sessions throughout the spring and early summer failing to reach an agreement.
Christine Brisebois, a nurse at the Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre in Coquitlam, puts it bluntly.
“The government needs to do something significantly different this time to show they are committed to keeping these nurses,” she says.
Negotiators for the public service finally tabled wage proposals more recently, and the parties came to agreements around some key issues. Despite these improvements, the public service bargaining commit-
tee isn’t letting its foot off the gas. Because the patients who depend on them cannot afford to lose these highly trained, specialized, and dedicated nurses.
While their contract remains in flux, one thing is sure for public service nurses: they will carry on fighting so they can continue supporting their vulnerable patients and clients
Sonia Parmar, a bargaining committee member at the Youth Forensics Psychiatric Services Centre in Burnaby, clarifies this key motivator:
“I was very hesitant when I started working for the public service. But 12 years later, I’m still here. I love seeing the change that the youth undergo. It’s amazing.”
SUPPORTING VITAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
While many BCNU members in the public service work with youth in care, other public service nurses work in equally critical government agencies, such as
RoadSafetyBC and the Office of Vital Statistics. These skilled nurses leverage their expertise to help keep the public safe, ensure equitable access to driver’s licences, and help the government keep track of the state of British Columbians’ health. They have a lot at stake in this round of bargaining. Like other nurses in the public service, their wages are often between $6 and $14 less than their counterparts in health authorities. They are also facing similar pressures around recruitment and retention.
“If these issues don’t get resolved at the table, then our team will be unable to retain and recruit nurses,” says Amanda Fast, a bargaining committee member who works in the Driver Medical Fitness Program. According to Fast, the pressures on these members have contributed to delays in the case management of driver files. These delays in driver fitness reviews can affect individuals’ ability to live and work, particularly for those
with medical conditions and disabilities who are seeking licensing or relicensing. Additionally, delays can increase the risk to road safety if a driver may not be fit to drive.
These public service nurses want their fellow members to remember that their support matters. “Ensuring that all nurses are valued benefits the profession as a whole,” says Fast. “All nursing positions deserve to be compensated appropriately, and we don’t want to see nursing positions disappear because of wage disparity.” •
Further reading: Missing: Why are Children Disappearing from BC’s Child Welfare System? Jennifer Charlesworth, Representative for Children and Youth, 2023.
Advocating for Change: Five Years in Review Jennifer Charlesworth, Representative for Children and Youth, 2023
Don’t Look Away: How One Boy’s Story has the Power to Shift a System of Care for Children and Youth Jennifer Charlesworth, Representative for Children and Youth, 2024
Amanda Fast, Julie Dutt, Sonia, Parmar and Christine Brisebois on the steps of the legislature.
LEADING THE WAY
BCNU and the Ministry of Health make significant progress implementing minimum nurse-to-patient ratios across BC
AFTER YEARS OF anticipation, the implementation of minimum nurseto-patient ratios (mNPR) in British Columbia is now underway.
On March 1, 2024, BCNU celebrated a historic milestone when the government announced that ratios will begin in hospital settings in the fall. This monumental step follows years of tireless advocacy from BCNU members to persuade the government that ratios can provide a solution for the persistent staffing and management challenges that have long plagued the province’s health-care system.
Following the announcement, the union immediately delved into negotiations with the Ministry of Health and health employers to make
this critical health care solution a reality.
“Since March, we’ve made significant progress in advocating for policies that will help us achieve nurseto-patient ratios in British Columbia,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear.
“These ratios are more than numbers; they represent members’ commitment to quality care,” adds Gear. “We’re on the right path, and these changes will make an immediate impact in supporting our members and improving outcomes for everyone in the health-care system.”
WHAT ARE NURSE-TOPATIENT RATIOS?
Imagine a medical unit where one dedicated nurse is responsible for four patients.
This scenario is what a 1:4 nurse-to-patient ratio looks like. These ratios are designed to ensure nurses have a manageable workload, directly improving the quality of care and patient outcomes.
Implementing these ratios means setting minimum standards for the number of nurses per patient in various health-care settings, fundamentally transforming care delivery.
A TIMELINE OF PROGRESS ON RATIOS
MARCH 2024: Laying the Groundwork
The government announcement in March set the stage for the hard work: building the implementation framework for ratios. The
work set out to solve a crucial problem – how to raise staff levels to the point that there are enough trained and working nurses in the health-care system to achieve optimal ratios.
The announcement included a $237 million investment to help retain the nurses BC has now, return nurses back to the bedside and recruit the nurses BC needs in the future. This fund includes $169.5 million allocated to expanding province-wide rural retention incentives, crucial for attracting and retaining nurses in less populated areas.
Following the announcement, representives from the union and government met to focus on further strategies to recruit more nurses into the profession and retain those who might otherwise leave.
APRIL 2024: Diving into Research
In April, BCNU’s focus shifted to gathering data to shape the implementation
process and better assess the public’s understanding of ratios. The union collaborated with experts Dr. Linda Aiken and Mathew McEwan from the University of Pennsylvania on a significant research initiative, distributing a nurse survey that ran from May to July 2024.
The survey gathered valuable data on nurses’ experiences and perceptions of their working conditions and provided insights into current staffing levels, workload distribution, and areas requiring immediate attention. It also established a critical baseline of these measures that will help to compare the impact of ratio implementation on nurses, patients, and the health-care system.
On the public awareness front, BCNU partnered with research firm Leger to conduct an awareness study of BC residents (n=1,001) to gauge awareness and perception of ratios.
The study’s findings demonstrate that the public
ADVISING DECISION-
MAKERS L to R: Minister of Health Adrian Dix, Premier David Eby, BCNU President Adriane Gear and Vice President Tristan Newby; BC United MLA Shirley Bond, Gear, BC United Leader Kevin Falcon and Newby at a lobbying event in May.
Putting Ratios to Work
Nurse-to-patient ratios:
Nurse-to-patient ratios determine the minimun number of nurses required to care for a given number of patients, ensuring that each patient receives adequate attention and high-quality care.
Appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios allow nurses to devote more time to providing life-saving care. BCNU has been hard at work with the Ministry of Health to prepare for implementing ratios in live health-care settings.
strongly supports minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and feels optimistic that they will be a positive solution to the staffing levels compromising our health-care system.
The study garnered three main findings:
• Positive Public Opinion: Most BC residents have a favourable opinion of ratios, recognizing their potential to improve health care. This widespread approval validates the union’s efforts and ensures that resources are allocated effectively and with broad community backing.
• Improved Standards of Care: Over 75 percent of respondents agree that ratios improve standards of care, nurse well-being, patient outcomes, and nurse retention.
• Confidence: 69 percent of BC residents feel confident that ratios will improve health care and well-being for nurses and patients, considering it taxpayer money well-spent.
The following ratios will be applied in acute care settings (hospital-based) beginning in fall 2024:
The results of the Leger study further confirmed that BCNU’s advocacy efforts around ratios are working to grow public awareness and support.
“Widespread public approval is crucial for the successful rollout of ratios. It demonstrates that both members and the public recognize their value,” says Gear.
Alongside the union’s lobbying efforts, educating the public and making the case for ratios in the media puts additional pressure on the government and health employers to deliver this health-care solution.
MAY 2024: Building the Implementation Structure
The rubber hit the road in May as the union’s working groups set about establishing the framework for the effective rollout of ratios across the province. Each health authority began
setting up a Joint Regional Implementation Committee (JRIC) consisting of nurses, BCNU representatives, and health employers.
These JRICs have six core members, with equal representation from BCNU and health employers. Members representing health employers will include the Chief Nursing Officer, a senior operational leader with a nursing background, and a senior labour relations leader. BCNU’s members will consist of two representatives and one senior labour relations leader. One of the representatives will be an elected official.
These committees will coordinate the rollout of ratios across the province, address region-specific challenges, and maintain consistency in implementation.
JUNE 2024: Raising Public Awareness
With the implementation work well underway, BCNU began tackling the next
IN THE NEWS
The first of three sponsored articles in The Globe and Mail, highlighting the significant benefits of nurse-to-patient ratios and their positive impact on health care in British Columbia.
hurdle: letting people know ratios are coming and what that means for their healthcare system.
The union launched a concerted effort to educate the public on the importance of nurse-to-patient ratios in June called Ratios Save Lives and sponsored three articles in The Globe and Mail focusing on the benefits and necessity of nurse-to-patient ratios.
Additionally, BCNU created online video campaign ads highlighting the positive impact of ratios on patient care and nurse well-being. These videos have generated over 22 million impressions as of Update’s publication date, demonstrating that the public case for ratios is catching on.
JULY 2024: Finalizing Policy Details
In July, BCNU and the government addressed the outstanding details to ensure that all parties involved in the ratios implementation process agreed on critical issues. Final discussions focused on the roles of charge nurses, the management of mixed units and refining the finer points of policy and implementation planning.
NEXT STEPS
Now that much of the detailed work on ratios has taken place, what can members look forward to over the coming months?
BCNU intends to keep up the pace on efforts to review solutions, conduct literature reviews, and consider staffing standards for psychiatric emergency room settings. Work on long-term care and community settings, including planning for Forensics and Corrections, has already started.
Efforts to adapt the ratios framework to other specialized health-care areas begin in the fall.
For members, the effects should begin to come into sharp focus. The rollout begins with general adult medical and surgical units and then expands to other units.
The journey to implement nurse-to-patient ratios in British Columbia marks the beginning of a transformative era in health care. This extensive, ongoing, and multifaceted initiative will unfold gradually. As the rollout progresses, the benefits of these ratios should become increasingly evident, not only in improving patient care and nurse well-being but also in enhancing overall healthcare standards across the province.
“Our work doesn’t stop here,” says Gear. “This initiative demonstrates our collective commitment to better health care for all. Our communities deserve the best, and together, we are dedicated to making it happen.” •
HUMAN RIGHTS & EQUITY
UNSAFE SPACES
Survey reveals there is a long way to go to better support trans, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse members and achieve safer health-care spaces
am constantly misgendered at work by my colleagues. I am open about being nonbinary and have let everyone know my pronouns are they/them but it’s exhausting to constantly be correcting folks.” – T2SGD survey respondent
Advancing the health, safety, social and economic well-being of nurses is BCNU’s highest priority. Fighting for equality and social justice for nurses from all walks of life has been woven into the union’s fabric from its inception, and it has fought many battles to make nursing safer and more inclusive. But in 2021, with rising anti-trans rhetoric and increasing calls for laws that harm trans people, the LGBTQ caucus realized that BCNU needed to do more to protect transgender, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse (T2SGD) nurses.
“Transphobia and homophobia have always been a problem in the workplace,” notes Lindsay Manning, a full-time BCNU steward with a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) focus.
“In the first year of the pandemic, reports of transphobia started to emerge much more frequently, and the reports were much more severe,” says Manning, who points to the increased use of personal protective equipment
during COVID-19 as a possible reason for the increase in misgendering. This equipment often covers faces, ID badges and nametags.
Manning is also a member of the BCNU LGBTQ caucus. She says that, as incidents of bullying, harassment and discrimination continued to surface at an alarming rate, she and her caucus colleagues realized that managers were not equipped to handle T2SGD nurses’ complaints. Nurses seeking help described major inadequacies in reporting processes, Manning recalls, and told her that managers responsible for investigating complaints were sometimes part of the problem.
“When T2SGD members came forward with complaints, they often needed to do a lot of work to educate management and even the steward teams,” she says. “When someone is traumatized by an experience, having to explain why it’s traumatic compounds the problem.”
“It was clear that we needed to start from the ground up,” says Manning. “We knew that T2SGD nurses needed to be heard.”
In addition to assessing the impacts of transphobia in nursing, the LGBTQ caucus sought more information about T2SGD nurses’ resiliency. This information, the caucus hoped, could inform how cisgender nurses, stewards, BCNU elected representatives, and other allies could build on these strengths to better support T2SGD nurses.
Then, in 2022, BCNU commissioned TransFocus, a consulting firm that helps organizations develop more inclusive workplaces for gender diverse individuals, to conduct a survey on gender diversity in the nursing profession. More than 600 members from across the province participated in the survey, with T2SGD and cisgender respondents sharing their experiences.
The survey report revealed concerning data on the prevalence
12 RECOMMENDATIONS
IN 2022, BCNU COMMISSIONED THE CONSULTING firm TransFocus to survey transgender, Two-Spirit, and gender diverse (T2SGD) and cisgender members about their experiences of transphobia in the workplace. They provided 12 recommendations to address transphobia and build safer and more inclusive workplaces.
1 Provide education on gender diversity to all levels of staff.
2 Introduce or improve systems changes (e.g., first name and pronouns fields and voluntary gender data).
3 Introduce or improve procedures (e.g., pronoun protocols, gender-affirming care in health-care coverage, and parental leave of absence).
4 Introduce peer-to-peer support networks that include Two-Spirit Elders so members can share their experiences and receive support within informal channels.
5 Create information to empower T2SGD members.
6 Create greater awareness of key T2SGD issues among BCNU members.
7 Conduct more qualitative research on intersectional issues.
8 Educate stewards and labour relations officers to support specific advocacy of T2SGD members.
9 Introduce anonymous feedback mechanisms.
10 Ensure harassment-free access to washrooms and showers.
11 Add a gender-based lens to violence reduction strategies.
12 Create gender-inclusive job responsibilities.
of transphobia in health care. But it also outlined the ways BCNU can promote more inclusive and safer workplaces that will enable T2SGD members to participate fully at work – and in their union.
TROUBLING TRENDS FOR T2SGD NURSES
The survey responses paint a concerning picture. Eighty-one percent of T2SGD-identifying survey participants report directly experiencing workplace discrimination based on their gender status and share specific examples.
“I have had supervisors, managers and colleagues intentionally misgender me and refuse to use my chosen name,” one respondent shared. “I have worked at sites with only gendered washrooms and been told by my employer to ‘just pick one.’ ”
The impacts of these experiences include increased anxiety and depression – resulting in more time off work, and reduced productivity. Many T2SGD nurses considered leaving the profession. For members who are Black, Indigenous and people of colour, the outcomes are even more severe, with more than 50 percent of respondents considering leaving nursing altogether.
The survey identifies a dire need to make members feel safer when reporting incidents of discrimination, and to create more trans-inclusivity in health-care settings. Survey participants
describe facing several barriers to reporting discrimination, including worries about outing themselves to their employer, not knowing how to report discrimination, and having managers dismiss their concerns or not take them seriously. They also note that many health-care professionals lack education, and those that have education often don’t retain knowledge about gender diversity. Finally, the report points to major structural issues in workplaces. Some lack inclusive bathrooms and changerooms –leading to gender policing and harassment. Workplaces often have onerous processes around using a chosen name change and correct personal pronouns. Many respondents report that gendered job responsibilities persist in the profession, such as the assigning of patient lifts to masculine-presenting nurses only.
BUILDING INCLUSIVITY INTO THE FABRIC OF BCNU
The survey results also inform 12 key actions (see sidebar) that BCNU can take to better advocate for safer and more inclusive workplaces while building a stronger culture of inclusivity within the union.
The report recommends providing staff and members with education on gender diversity, building peer-to-peer support networks, including networks for Two-Spirit Elders, and creating anonymous feed-
“We really can make more inclusive workplaces for everyone. As a self-regulating profession, nurses are uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of this work.”
DEI steward Lindsay Manning
back systems to support T2SGD and gender-questioning members’ safety.
While the report suggests there is much work to do, BCNU has been working to build trans-inclusivity into the organization and into the profession. The union successfully advocated for more T2SGDinclusive contract language in the last round of Nurses’ Bargaining Association negotiations. The 2022–2025 NBA Provincial Collective Agreement now grants up to eight weeks of paid leave for gender affirming medical procedures and uses improved language around parental leave to reflect gender-diverse parents. Employers are now required to provide single-occupancy bathrooms and changerooms for employees of any gender expression or identity. Critically, the contract explicitly states that deadnaming (using a former name), misgendering (referring to someone using a word or pronoun that does not reflect that person’s gender), and doxxing (harassing people by sharing their address, medical information, or photos)
are forms of gender-based discrimination.
In addition to its advocacy in bargaining, the union has created four steward positions with a DEI focus to ensure that members experiencing discrimination receive help through an anti-discrimination lens (Manning is one of those stewards).
There is a long road ahead to fostering safety and inclusion into the BCNU, but Manning feels optimistic the union can accomplish this goal.
“We really can make more inclusive workplaces for everyone. As a self-regulating profession, nurses are uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of this work,” she says.
“Our professional and practice standards require us to self-reflect, challenge our own privileges and biases, and advocate to change the structures, policies, practices, and behaviours that perpetuate discrimination. The foundation is already there for us to be able to do this work, we just need to dedicate the resources needed for this kind of advocacy.” •
• Learn more about retirement health coverage with representatives from Municipal Retiree Benef it Trust and Pacif ic Blue Cross
• A sk an exper t from BC Pension Corporation general questions about your pension
Info sessions will run concurrently and can
NAVIGATING THE CHANGE
New BCNU-sponsored report highlights the impacts of menopause on the nursing workforce
NURSES, LIKE COUNTLESS other individuals, experience myriad physical, mental and emotional symptoms during perimenopause and menopause, and the demands of the profession can often exacerbate these symptoms. Nursing is a difficult profession, characterized by long shifts, often without breaks, and continuous patient care, making it challenging to manage menopausal symptoms. Besides these challenges, many nurses fear discussing symptoms with their colleagues and managers, acknowledging that stigma exists around menopause. Without support at work, some nurses are self-selecting out of senior positions, reducing existing work hours, taking pay cuts or leaving the profession entirely, resulting in the loss of much-needed senior-level health-care
professionals.
“Menopause is not just a personal health issue,” says BCNU President Adriane Gear. “It’s a significant workplace concern that profoundly impacts the entire nursing profession. This stage of life affects a nurse’s well-being and performance, highlighting the necessity for support to maintain their health and ensure safe patient care.”
In Aug. 2023, recognizing the need for better understanding and support, The Menopause Foundation of Canada, in collaboration with BCNU and research firm Leger, conducted focus groups to study the impact of menopause on nurses. The research underscores the significance of menopause as an issue in the nursing profession.
The focus groups revealed how working conditions
“Menopause is not just a personal health issue, it’s a significant workplace concern that profoundly impacts the entire nursing profession.”
BCNU President Adriane Gear
intensify the difficulties in managing the physical and emotional symptoms of menopause. The mental impact includes reduced self-confidence, anxiety about performance at work, apprehension when taking on more responsible roles, worries about licence loss and practice issues due to brain fog, insomnia and a reduced ability to focus.
BCNU Coastal Mountain region member Carol Swan is candid about her journey through perimenopause.
“I endured perimenopause from about age 46 to 56,” Swan says. “That was physically challenging and mentally taxing – I had insomnia, but more startling was the irritability and rage. I became impatient in meetings, unable to concentrate on conversations, and I had to go on medication to be able to continue functioning at work.”
Swan, a public health nurse in Gibsons, is thankful for the candid relationship she has with her physician, who listened, empathized and offered a solution.
“Throughout my perimenopause, I used a Mirena IUD, which helped manage the hot flashes and other symptoms,”
Swan shares. “With the physical symptoms better managed, I just had to deal with the mental and emotional swings, the mood changes and the brain fog. There is a personal balance, yes, weighing the possible risks versus relief of symptoms – but I need to work, and I have to be able to function.”
Swan says having a frank discussion about options is imperative and notes that pharmacological protocols may not be suitable for everyone. It’s important for nurses who are impacted by menopause to discuss associated risks with their health-care providers to make informed decisions about their bodies, symptoms and treatment options, she adds.
The data from the joint report further highlights the scope of this issue. According to the report, more than 90 percent of BCNU’s 48,000 members are women, and more than 50 percent are over the age of 40. This means a significant number of BCNU members are likely experiencing or approaching perimenopause/menopause, and the effects of their symptoms may disrupt their professional lives, making it harder for
them to thrive in their careers while caring for their own health.
The report identifies four main characteristics of the nursing profession that affect how nurses manage menopause symptoms: workplace culture, physical and emotional demands, scheduling/ shift work and staffing.
Workplace culture can lack awareness or support, making nurses self-conscious about their symptoms.
The physical and emotional needs of their job can worsen their symptoms. Long hours and patient trauma can intensify joint pain and mood swings.
Scheduling and shift work, especially night shifts, disrupt sleep, aggravating pre-existing insomnia and fatigue.
Staffing issues like working short, increased stress and heavy workload make it difficult for nurses to take breaks and manage symptoms privately.
These findings align with the broader survey data, which indicate that although everyone’s experience with menopause is unique, nearly all nurses surveyed (95 percent) report having an average of seven symptoms each.
Common symptoms include hot flashes (62 percent), sleep disturbances (57 percent) and mood swings (39 percent). Less common symptoms reported are anxiety (32 percent), urinary incontinence (23 percent) and heart palpitations (19 percent).
Pacific Rim region member Pamela Halonen began experiencing menopausal symptoms about 10 years ago. Halonen is a clinical nurse educator from Youbou, who provides education to clients with mental health and substance use disorders.
“Trying to concentrate on clients and being able to actively listen and stay involved with what we were talking about was tough,” Halonen recalls. “I could feel the hot flashes coming from my inner body. They started radiating through my face, which would get flushed and sweaty. Or I’d get sudden brain fog when trying to articulate a point. When you’re sitting in a meeting with clients, managers and directors, it is embarrassing.”
In response to these challenges, Halonen turned to medical treatments. In 2015, after trying a multitude of natural remedies,
Halonen talked to her doctor, who suggested Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) products approved by Health Canada to treat menopausal symptoms.
“After starting HRT, things improved quite a bit. I understand that not everyone is comfortable taking hormone replacements, and there are risks to consider, but it’s worked well for me,” she says. “I’ve tried to come off HRT several times, but within a month, the symptoms returned, and I didn’t feel like myself again.”
The survey indicates a strong need for more workplace support. Three-quarters of nurses surveyed would like to see workplaces offer support, with most recom-
mending simple measures. These include extended health benefits covering treatments and therapies, adjustments to the work environment for those going through menopause, educational toolkits for colleagues and managers, and menopause awareness sessions for employees.
By recognizing the unique challenges nurses face during perimenopause and menopause and implementing supportive measures, the health-care profession can foster a more inclusive and healthier work environment. These changes not only benefit nurses’ well-being but also enhance patient care and improve retention. • Read the full report at menopausefoundationcanada.ca
PUTTING THE TEAM IN HEALTH CARE
Members gather with thought-leaders at Leadership Forum 2024 to identify the motivations, strengths, and skills needed to become trailblazing leaders.
NURSE LEADERS FROM all BCNU regions gathered in Vancouver this April to attend Leadership Forum 2024. The event included stewards, Enhanced Disability Management Program (EDMP) representatives, OHS representatives and BCNU provincial and regional council members.
On the forum’s first day, BCNU President Adriane Gear greeted the more than 200 attendees in her opening remarks, saying she was excited to be in a room full of nurse activists and leaders.
“True team building requires time, trust, and a shared commitment to our collective purpose. As leaders, it’s incumbent upon us to nurture environments where trust can flourish, every voice is valued, and collaboration is not just a concept but a lived reality.”
Gear then introduced Knowledge Sharer Carla George of the Squamish Nation, who welcomed the group.
George spoke about her father’s experience as a residential school survivor and the experiences of other family members going to racially segregated hospitals. She encouraged Indigenous leaders in the room to be voices and advocates, emphasizing her gratitude for the critical work nurses did during the pandemic. She then shared a song to honour all the nurses present.
THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING YOUR TEAM
This year’s forum was entitled TEAM: Transform, Engage, Activate and Motivate. Throughout the two-day event, multiple presenters shared their knowledge, experiences, and insight
into the art of leadership.
“This theme encapsulates the essence of our collective mission—to not merely embrace change but to catalyze it, to not only participate but to fully engage, to not just exist but to ignite action, and to mobilize forces towards a common vision of excellence in health care,” said Gear during her opening remarks.
The forum’s first day continued with a presentation from David Allison, How Nurse Leaders Can Harness the Power of Shared Values. Allison is a researcher and founder of the Valuegraphics Project, an organization that identifies people’s unique internal motivators and helps people connect with others by learning about values.
“We can start thinking about ourselves as value-driven beings,” said Allison. “Our values will unite us.”
SETTING THE STAGE Clockwise, L to R: Simon Fraser region members Frank Martens and Melissa Vannerus share a poster illustrating BCNU’s strengths; Vice President Tristan Newby, Interim CEO Jim Gould, President Adriane Gear, Interim Executive Councillor, pensions and seniors health Meghan Friesen, Provincial Treasurer Sharon Sponton, and Interim Executive Councillor, occupational health & safety and mental health Denise Waurynchuk; Knowledge sharer Carla George of Squamish Nation welcomes attendees
Based on a survey of the BCNU membership, Allison identified three “power values” among respondents: compassion, loyalty and service to others. He then added that when he conducted this survey with other industries, compassion didn’t always come out on top.
“Nurses in BC thrive as a community when we help people going through tough times”
Guest speaker David Allison
What this means, said Allison, is that “BCNU wants to share in the struggles of other people. Shared struggles are a strength.”
According to Allison, loyalty can come from relationships based on trust and respect, and service to others can be demonstrated by helping people with what they need.
“Nurses in BC thrive as a community when we help people going through tough times,” said Allison.
“Everything we do is about people, and people are driven by their values. People will trust more if they can see if their values are present.”
Allison recommended that leaders point out people who are going the extra mile.
SOLIDARITY AMONG NURSE LEADERS
Allison’s presentation was followed by Len Pierre, the CEO of Len Pierre Consulting. Pierre is a member of the Katzie First Nation. He is also an educator, consultant, social activist and traditional knowledge keeper. Pierre’s knowledge comes from Indigenous voices and perspectives passed down through generations of enduring crises, including colonization and genocide. His presentation, Circles of Solidarity for Leaders, explored tools nurse leaders can use when working in times of transformation, change and crisis.
To foster circles of solidarity, Pierre recommended that nurses develop their personal and professional relationships with respect and dignity, respond to oppression with action and resistance and cultivate cultures of critique.
Pierre also advised advocating for wellness for self and others.
Advocating for wellness can include learning to say no, celebrating when people say no, respecting your mind, body and spirit, accepting yourself and practising humility.
According to Pierre, work also requires a balance between getting too close to work or being too distant from it. To attain this balance, Pierre expanded on the various ways to process and let go of thoughts about work, including an Indigenous ceremony
continued on page 48
FINDING STRENGTH WITHIN
Top to bottom: Sharon Jones describes the transformative power of selfawareness; Len Pierre shares his approach to working with an open heart and mind; Human values expert David Alison presents the Valuegraphics Project—the first global inventory of core human values.
APPLIED LEARNING L to R: Toronto ER physician Dr. Brian Goldman discusses the state of Canadian health care; Pacific Rim region member Gerrie Miller reports on her table’s breakout activity; leadership consultant Ming Pilz leads attendees through a series of self-reflective activities; North West region member Matthew Le Gresley participates in a discussion with David Allison; acclaimed speaker Amie Archibald-Varley presents remotely about how to enact meaningful change in the nursing profession.
that involves attending to thoughts before letting them blow away like clouds and giving them back to Mother Earth.
When it comes to working toward addressing anti-Indigenous racism, Pierre advised learning the skill of listening to each other and learning how to be allies for Indigenous people. He noted that Indigenous peoples are the only ones who can deem a non-Indigenous person to be an ally and that allyship is not a badge of honour, nor is it linear or static. You can only be an ally in a moment, he said, and that moment is rooted in action. He then emphasized the importance of listening as leaders.
“You have three ears, two on the side of your head and one inside your heart,” said Pierre.
FINDING YOUR PURPOSE
In the afternoon of day one, Ming Pilz, a consultant specializing in governance and leadership, spoke to the importance of purpose in leadership in accomplishing BCNU’s goals.
“Purpose is the reason for which something is done, or created, or for which something exists,” said Pilz. “It is the answer to the question why.”
Pilz asked forum attendees to participate in an exercise in which they considered their personal source of purpose. Members identified family,
money, integrity, advocacy, self-care, joy and happiness, feeling needed and past experiences.
She then spoke about how purpose functions within BCNU. Pilz said different members will have different perspectives depending on their role within the union. As part of looking at BCNU’s purpose, Pilz said members will look at the union’s vision, mission and values. Based on previously conducted surveys of members, she observed that respondents described the union’s vision as being the champion for union members, the professional voice of nursing and the leading advocate for publicly funded health care.
As members described, the BCNU’s mission is to protect and advance the health, safety, and well-being of BCNU members, the nursing profession and our communities. Members have also described BCNU’s values as collectivity, democracy, equality, excellence, integrity, social justice and solidarity.
“If we can advocate for patients, we can advocate for ourselves.”
Guest speaker Sara Fung
Understanding the purposes that motivate BCNU members will “help improve decision-making, drive success and allow BCNU to achieve its purpose,” said Pilz.
LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY AND TEAMWORK IN NURSING
On the evening of the first day, Gear hosted a panel with Amie ArchibaldVarley and Sara Fung, co-hosts of the Gritty Nurse podcast and co-authors of The Wisdom of Nurses: Stories of Grit from the Frontlines and Dr. Brian Goldman, an ER physician in Toronto. Dr. Goldman is the host of CBC Radio’s White Coat Black Art on CBC Radio One and the CBC podcast The Dose. He is also the author of The Power of Kindness: How We Can All Work Better Together.
The panel began with ArchibaldVarley and Fung regaling how they, as coworkers, decided to start the podcast to share stories from nursing that were not being listened to in the workplace.
“Through the podcast, we have learned how to be good leaders and build psychologically safe workplaces,” said Fung.
“There’s so much wisdom in our voices as nurses and perspectives that we bring because we have a unique lens,” said Archibald-Varley. “We asked
ourselves: how do we become the change we want to see, and how do we make a difference.”
Using results of polling they had conducted with nurses, ArchibaldVarley and Fung then noted how many nurses lack on-the-job leadership training. This observation inspired them to promote leadership education, create safe spaces and address bullying.
“No one quits nursing,” said Archibald-Varley, “They tend to quit their employers. They quit their bosses.”
The podcasters also talked about how nurses can spark change in nursing at every scale, starting with their everyday interactions at work.
“If we can advocate for patients, we can advocate for ourselves,” said Fung. “I never saw myself as an advocate until several years ago. You don’t have to be a certain personality type to be an advocate. Advocacy and activism are not bad words. They are simply ways that we can initiate change.”
Archibald-Varley also reminded nurses to look at their own actions.
“Take that time to reflect. Think about some of the things that have gone on during a shift or during a day or week,” she said. A revolution in nursing will be in terms of how we treat each other in our profession.”
Dr Brian Goldman then shared
his thoughts about leadership and collaboration, emphasizing how embracing teamwork and kindness can empower nurses and help them deal with challenges like stress, burnout, unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios and violence.
“Together, we are a team that supports the strongest nursing union in the world”
BCNU President Adriane Gear
He gave some tips on dealing with personal stress, including practising mindfulness, self-forgiveness, selfcompassion and turning off social media.
“You can take care of yourself before you take care of other people,” said Goldman.
Goldman said after taking care of oneself, the next step is to become a kinder, more empathetic leader, he added.
“The more complex the work you do, the more you need a team,” said Goldman. “You feel safe making suggestions. Comments are heard, and action can be taken. Everyone
volunteers to help.”
MEETING YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
After the morning presentation, BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby introduced BCNU’s leadership team: President Adriane Gear, Interim CEO Jim Gould, Provincial Treasurer Sharon Sponton, Interim Executive Councillor for Occupational Health and Safety and Mental Health Denise Waurynchuk, Interim Executive Councillor for Pensions and Seniors Health Meghan Friesen and Newby himself.
Each member of the team answered a range of questions from members in the room and provided an update on their work and priorities, including truth and reconciliation, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), labour relations, OHS and mental health, retention and campaigns, internal human resources, bargaining and benefits, reimagining BCNU, and minimum nurse-to-patient ratios.
“You have heard from the leadership team about the union’s priorities and how we’re going to move forward,” said Gear. “You have learned to focus on self-reflection, appreciate your teams, and commit to inclusion and allyship. Together, we are a team that supports the strongest nursing union in the world,” said Gear. •
STUDENT LEADERS
BUILDING THE FUTURE OF BCNU
FROM STUDENT TO ACTIVIST SUPPORTING STUDENTS BY INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF NURSING
UNION BURSARIES GIVE student nurses a boost early on in their education while offering BCNU an opportunity to introduce students to the value of their union. Just ask Michael Woywitka, who became a BCNU student nurse member and union student liaison for his class in his first year attending North Island College in 2016.
“Students are strong advocates and motivated to make change,” says Woywitka.
“Supporting students creates a mutualistic partnership where students benefit from the union, and the union benefits from having eager advocates looking to make real change.”
Three years after graduating, Woywitka is now the provincial chair of BCNU’s Young Nurses’ Network, as well as a parttime worksite steward in the Post-anaesthesia care unit (PACU) at Cowichan District Hospital (CDH).
MICHAEL WOYWITKA TALKS ABOUT HIS ROLE AS NURSE ADVOCATE
UPDATE What does being an activist or advocate mean to you?
WOYWITKA Being an advocate means pushing for better working conditions for nurses throughout BC, Canada and the world. Improved working conditions will attract more people into the profession, decreasing the burden associated with working short and improving workplace settings for healthcare professionals.
UPDATE What member or steward education have you completed to date, and what was a highlight for you?
WOYWITKA I have taken the Building Union Strength workshop, Steward Essentials, Foundations in Occupational Health and Safety and most recently the Crucial Conversations course. A realization for me was seeing how differently members are treated throughout the province, and a highlight was recognizing how important collective communication can be in identifying and fixing these shortcomings.
Almost the whole Woywitka family are nurses. Woywitka’s mom, also a nurse at CDH, inspired him to join the profession.
“Mom always encouraged my siblings and me to follow her into nursing. My younger brother followed her first, and I followed in his footsteps. My sister is also a nurse staffing clerk, but one brother went rogue,” Woywitka laughs.
As a student, he attended his first union meeting in
BCNU’s Pacific Rim region. “Attending meetings as a student nurse helped solidify the importance of having a union by my side,” says Woywitka. “It made me realize that I needed to learn the collective agreement as soon as possible and it inspired me to support my peers during their future nursing practice.”
Woywitka received the Student Nurse Education Bursary, just one of six different bursary opportunities available to student nurse members.
“We know that at every stage of nurse education, funding can be a real challenge. That is why BCNU
UPDATE Have you filed any grievances or collaborated with members yet on resolving workplace issues?
WOYWITKA Yes, I have worked with members on multiple workplace issues. For example, we had an issue at my workplace around shift differential compensation, which I helped resolve in my capacity as a steward.
UPDATE The union is you – how do you share that sentiment with your colleagues?
WOYWITKA The union is only as strong as its members, and it needs new activists to improve the working conditions of nurses. Getting more involved with the union is an easy way to understand the collective agreement and learn if you enjoy being an activist.
UPDATE How do you see your union involvement growing in the future?
WOYWITKA Currently, my goal is to gain as much experience as possible so I can do my current positions as best I can. I plan to educate others on what I learn while also learning from others, thereby ensuring the union grows as a collective without getting too far ahead of myself. •
GENERATIONS R to L: Michael Woywitka attended his first BCNU rally and convention
has established four new awards since 2021, including the Student Nurse Advocacy Bursary.” says BCNU President Adriane Gear.
Last year, BCNU added this bursary to support the work that many of our future nurses already do with a diversity, equity, and inclusion lens.
“Our new grads come energized to make a difference in addressing
social justice issues, and we are very proud to recognize some of that work by supporting them through this new bursary,” says Gear.
BCNU has also added the Student Nurse with Disability Bursary this year to support the early-stage career development of BCNU student members that self-identify as people with disabilities.
Besides being a
RECIPIENT HIGHLIGHT
bursary recipient, Woywitka attended the 2018 BCNU human rights and equity conference as a sponsored student. He said the most significant highlight from that and the other events he attended as a student was the connections he made.
“I still have relationships with BCNU colleagues from around the province.” •
Liam Teetzel received the Student Nurse Advocacy Bursary in 2023. He works on the medical floor of the East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook.
Teetzel says of the award, “The bursary helped me with the financial challenges facing all nursing students in our final year of practice while we eagerly wait to start working. Additionally, the helped make it possible for me to finish my leadership project and present it at a nursing education conference in Calgary! Thank you to BCNU for your ongoing support in my nursing education and career.”
STUDENT NURSE BURSARY OPPORTUNITIES
BCNU recognizes students’ financial challenges and is pleased to offer six annual bursary opportunities for student nurse members. Additionally, student members are eligible to apply for the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions Scholarship Fund.
Read more about our newest bursaries below or scan the QR code to learn more
Indigenous Student Nurse Education Bursary
The Indigenous Student Nurse Education Bursary is an initiative of the BCNU Indigenous Leadership Circle. The bursary reflects the union’s ongoing support for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s 94 Calls to Action, particularly the call to increase the number of Indigenous professionals in health care.
Bursary facts:
• One bursary awarded per year
• Deadline: April 1, 2025
• $1,500
Student Nurse Advocacy Bursary
This bursary is a BCNU initiative to recognize the role of allyship in increasing awareness of human rights and equity issues. The bursary builds relationships by funding students who align with BCNU’s shared values and beliefs. It recognizes students’ contributions to furthering social justice.
Bursary facts:
• 32 bursaries awarded per year
• Deadline: Sept. 15, 2025
• $500
Student Nurse with Disability Bursary
This bursary is open to BCNU student members identifying as persons with disabilities, including internationally educated nurse associate members. The BCNU Workers with Disabilities Caucus initiated this bursary to support inclusion, accessibility and equity of nursing students with disabilities in the early stages of their career development.
Bursary facts:
• 16 bursaries awarded per year (one per region)
• Deadline: Sept. 15, 2025
• $1,000
in May this year, along with his brother Ben and mom Kelly, also nurses.
WHO CAN HELP?
BCNU IS HERE TO SERVE MEMBERS
Here’s
how you can
get in touch with the right person to help you.
CONTACT YOUR
Stewards for all workplace concerns. Regional Council Members if your steward can’t help, or for all regional matters. Provincial Executive Committee for all provincial, national or union policy issues.
PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
PRESIDENT
Adriane Gear 778-679-9968 adrianegear@bcnu.org
VICE PRESIDENT
Tristan Newby 604-313-1308 tristannewby@bcnu.org
TREASURER
Sharon Sponton 250-877-2547 sharonsponton@bcnu.org
EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR
Denise Waurynchuk (Interim) 250-919-2178 denisewaurynchuk@bcnu.org
EXECUTIVE COUNCILLOR
Meghan Friesen (Interim) 604-250-0751 meghanfriesen@bcnu.org
REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBERS
CENTRAL VANCOUVER
Gerald Dyer 604-786-0594 geralddyer@bcnu.org
Antonio Ortiz
604-803-8468 antonioortiz@bcnu.org
COASTAL MOUNTAIN
Angela Crawford 778-867-4161 angelacrawford@bcnu.org
EAST KOOTENAY
Denise Nelson (Interim) 250-207-5774 denisenelson@bcnu.org
FRASER VALLEY
Parveen Gill 604-309-3223 parveengill@bcnu.org
NORTH EAST
Danette Thomsen 250-960-8621 danettethomsen@bcnu.org
NORTH WEST
Teri Forster
250-615-8077 teriforster@bcnu.org
OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN
Candice DeSousa 250-462-9517 candidesousa@bcnu.org
PACIFIC RIM
Kelley Charters
250-816-0865 kelleycharters@bcnu.org
RICHMOND VANCOUVER
Sara Mattu 778-989-8231 saramattu@bcnu.org
SHAUGHNESSY HEIGHTS
Claudette Jut 604-786-8422 claudette@bcnu.org
SIMON FRASER
Wendy Gibbs 604-240-1242 wendygibbs@bcnu.org
Roy Hansen 778-668-7654 royhansen@bcnu.org
SOUTH FRASER VALLEY
Peggy Holton 306-463-0106 peggyholton@bcnu.org
Glesy Banton-Victoria 778-892-0978 glesybantonvictoria@bcnu.org
SOUTH ISLANDS
Caitlin Jarvis 250-883-6593 caitlinjarvis@bcnu.org
Leanne Robertson-Weeds 778-222-7997 leannerobertsonweeds@bcnu.org
THOMPSON NORTH OKANAGAN
Scott Duvall 250-241-5952 scottduvall@bcnu.org
VANCOUVER METRO
Madelene Fraser (Interim) 604-603-5291 madelenefraser@bcnu.org
WEST KOOTENAY
Shalane Wesnoski 250-231-1005 shalanewesnoski@bcnu.org
FRASER VALLEY
GROWTH AND CHANGE FRASER VALLEY REGIONAL COUNCIL MEMBER PARVEEN GILL
QUICK FACTS
NAME Parveen Gill
GRADUATED 2018 BSN, Athabasca University; 2013 BA, University of the Fraser Valley UNION POSITION
Fraser Valley regional council member WHY I SUPPORT
BCNU? “We are a union of nurses for nurses, representing a large collective voice. This is humbling work that fills me with gratitude and respect.”
COUNCIL PROFILE
HERE’S WHO’S WORKING FOR YOU
“It is a challenging yet fulfilling experience to support our members in their incredibly important and selfless work.” says BCNU Fraser Valley regional council member, Parveen Gill.
regional council member
Parveen Gill fondly remembers how her upbringing inspired her profession. She was raised by young, hardworking parents from Punjab who didn’t want their children to struggle. “They wanted me to choose a noble profession, like medicine or education,” says Gill. “They taught me always to work hard but do what I enjoy.”
“I knew medicine was out,” Gill laughs. “Dissections made my stomach curl. I come from a large family, so I knew working with children was the next best option.”
Gill pursued childcare during her decade at the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre. That job sparked her interest in health care, as “some children had complex health challenges, requiring visits to BC Children’s Hospital and Sunnyhill for assessments and special training.” Working with these patients led her to nursing.
She began full-time licensed practical nursing duties at Chilliwack General Hospital in 2008 and worked with Bayshore Home Health in palliative pediatric care. “It was a blend of my previous career with nursing,” Gill says. “I was
blessed to share soul-wrenching and loving experiences with these amazing families.”
After community and long-term care roles, she returned to acute care in 2014. Her versatility made her an excellent fit for BCNU steward roles at Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission hospitals. While working as a nurse and steward, she completed a bachelor of science in nursing in 2018. That year, she was appointed a Fraser Valley regional executive lobbyist and became a Mosaic of Colour Caucus representative. In 2020, she began her first term on the Fraser Valley regional executive.
Gill has taken on significant committee work, including the Retiree Benefit Program, which added LPNs in April. “This was a significant union commitment to LPNs and brings added security to their retirement,” Gill states.
In her work on the LPN to RN/RPN Career Laddering Fund, Gill supports LPNs seeking professional growth while easing their financial burden. The $20 million fund provides up to $20,000 for LPNs seeking an RN or RPN designation.
Gill also sits on the Seniors’ Strategy Committee, focusing on recruiting and retaining
members in long-term care. She believes this focus can address the ongoing nurse staffing shortage, noting that “work conditions are deteriorating because of increased patient responsibilities resulting in unsafe shifts, moral distress, compassion fatigue, and burnout. Our members and patients deserve better.”
Gill anticipates that implementing minimum nurse-topatient ratios will help address recruitment and retention.
“Safer staffing levels will create safer workplaces,” says Gill. “We want that for all healthcare workers.”
Gill believes that ratios can bring back hope and trust, adding that other major union accomplishments will inspire members, such as wage increases, mentorship lines, and stewards with diversity, equity, and inclusivity training.
“Many nurses were skeptical at first,” Gill observes. “But since receiving these benefits, more nurses are coming forward to aid with ratio implementation. When we do what we say, we make meaningful and lasting differences.”
Gill finds humility and joy in supporting members. “It is a challenging yet fulfilling experience to support our members in their incredibly important and selfless work.” •
OFF DUTY
MEMBERS AFTER HOURS
FASHION FORWARD SONIA PARMAR BALANCES COMPASSION AND COMMERCE ON HER JOURNEY FROM HEALTH CARE TO ETHICAL FASHION
IN HER WORLD – WHERE passion and purpose converge – Sonia Parmar, an RPN at the Youth Forensics Psychiatric Services Centre in Burnaby, has woven a unique tapestry of care and creativity. Her entrepreneurial journey began during the pandemic, when members of her family faced health issues.
Witnessing the impact of synthetic fabric allergies on her family and colleagues, she embarked on a mission to create a clothing line founded on ethical fashion principles to address these sensitivities. “Both my mom and sister had allergic reactions, which made their skin extremely
sensitive and itchy – they couldn’t wear synthetic clothing at all,” Parmar said. “It had to be organic, and it had to be cotton.”
Parmar graduated from Douglas College in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in psychiatric nursing and immediately followed that with a master’s degree in public administration from Dalhousie University.
Determined to find a solution that combined comfort, style, and ethical sourcing, Parmar partnered with female-owned and operated manufacturers in Peru and Bali to curate a collection of leisurewear that meets her
FROM THE COLLECTION
high ethical standards and reflects her dedication to creating positive change in the fashion industry.
“I have such high standards for the company and for myself,” she shared. “I wanted to be sustainable and ensure that no one was taking unfair advantage of workers and resources to create my products.”
Once she established a supply chain that met her ethical requirements, Parmar began designing the first run of samples that her mom and sister loved. The soft cotton didn’t irritate their symptoms, and Parmar knew she was onto something significant for individuals suffering from synthetic fabric allergies.
Thus, Etoiles Brisées was born – a blend of comfort and conscience. The brand has committed to regularly engaging with manufacturing partners to monitor the well-being of workers and uphold their rights.
When asked how she manages to juggle a full-time nursing career with a growing business, Parmar chuckles. “Well, it’s a lot, it can be hard, I’ll work my regular shifts and then go home and work four to six hours on Etoiles
Brisées. My sister helps with social media and my brother helps with packing and shipping – we all pitch in!”
Etoiles Brisées is currently an online-only vendor but it’s clear that Parmar has no intention of resting on her laurels. “I would love to have a brick-and-mortar retail space, but right now we’re looking at expanding into men’s fashion.” Athletes from Oxford Jamaica have shown interest and, with nursing colleagues paying attention, Parmar aims to add 100 percent organic scrubs to her lineup in the future.
This commitment to caring is firmly rooted in the relational traits of her nursing career. “You can leverage your nursing background to connect with people, applying the therapeutic skills you’ve honed in nursing school and your workplace and transfer them into your business.” Parmar explained. “I want to make the world a better place. I don’t want to sit around and not do anything. I’d rather spend my time making our world better if I can.” •
Learn more: www.etoilesbrisees.shop
Etoiles Brisées creator
Sonia Parmar, in a sustainably-produced wolf grey crew neck sweatshirt from her brand.
In this provincial election, vote for a stronger health-care system
Ask your local election candidates where they stand on the issues impacting nursing and patient care. We need politicians, regardless of their party affiliation, to commit to implementing minimum nurse-to-patient ratios and building a health-care system that provides high-quality care to everyone in our province.
Learn more about BCNU’s key asks in this election on page 12 to 13.
VOTE EARLY
Advance voting takes place October 10 to 13, 15 and 16, and the final voting day (election day) is October 19. Voting places are open each day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. local time.
All voters are entitled to four (4) consecutive hours free from work to vote on one of these days without loss of pay.
BC has a “vote anywhere” model, meaning you can cast your ballot at any voting place in the province.
Learn more about how BCNU is engaging in the 2024 provincial election at BCNU.org/BCNursesVote
SADDLE UP!
BCNU’s elected officials are chomping at the bit to see you at one of our many events and community outreach opportunities.
Don’t hold your horses, check out our events calendar at bcnu.org/news-and-events/eventscalendar or scan the QR code.
IN HER STRIDE Thompson North Okanagan member Ramona carries the BCNU banner at this year’s Williams Lake Stampede, on the traditional, ancestral and unceded lands of the T’exelc (Williams Lake First Nations) within Secwepemcúl’ecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc.