ONLINE ALL THE TIME: BREAKING NEWS AND UPDATES AT KAMLOOPSTHISWEEK.COM
DE K A M L O O P S
Kamloops, B.C., Canada X 30 cents at Newsstands
Victim of predator coach tells why she needs her story told Page A3
TUESDAY
Tuesday, March 4, 2014 X Volume 27 No. 25
THIS WEEK
Kamloops Film Festival features fantastic film lineup Page A21 Thompson River Publications Partnership Ltd.
HURRY HARD TO THE BRIER Alberta skip Kevin Koe is the picture of concentration during 2014 Tim Hortons Brier action at Interior Savings Centre on the weekend. The national men’s curling championship is in full swing in Kamloops, with fans flocking to ISC to watch the world’s best curlers — then joining the Brier Patch party at Memorial Arena. Speaking of which, pick up Thursday’s edition of KTW to experience a night at the Patch through the eyes and ears of reporter Jessica Wallace. The Brier continues through the weekend, with the title tilt set for Sunday, March 9, at 4:30 p.m. Brier organizers have an added bonus for Kamloops residents as the Olympic gold-medal winning Brad Jacobs rink will bring its medals from Sochi to the Tournament Capital this weekend. The team will meet with fans in the Brier Patch at Memorial Arena at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, and will sign autographs at ISC on Saturday, March 8, at noon and on Sunday, March 9, at 3:30 p.m. For much more on the Brier, including Team B.C.’s run for the title, turn to sports on A17. For updates on the action, go online to kamloopsthisweek.com. Allen Douglas/KTW
Hillside Centre recorded 31 incidents in 2013 By Dale Bass
STAFF REPORTER
dale@kamloopsthisweek.com
Thirty-one “incidences” were reported at Hillside Centre last year, ranging from minor brushes with patients to serious interactions blamed on a lack of staff. In December, the B.C. Nurses’ Union and the Union of Psychiatric Nurses called for the Interior Health Authority, which operates the centre adjacent to Royal Inland Hospital, to ensure each area is adequately staffed. The demand followed the assault on a nurse who was alone in one of the wards when a patient punched her, knocked her down
and pinned her to the floor. It took eight staff members to rescue the nurse from the man, who was later identified as having Huntington’s disease. He and another man involved in a second incident — who also has Huntington’s — were subsequently charged with assault. KTW submitted a freedom-ofinformation request to the health authority for the reports, which were censored to remove identification of individual nurses or patients. The bulk of the incidences happened in the centre’s dining room (eight) and patient rooms (11). Two occurred at a nursing sta-
tion and one each in the kitchen, laundry, TV room and entrance to the seclusion area. Among the incident reports: • March 17: The document notes: “We were short staff and doing care with a patient that is a three-four-care assist. I just walked into the bathroom and grabbed the resident with my left hand and shut the door with my right hand. As I turned my head to close the door, the resident kicked me in knee.” • March 23: “An aggressive patient was escalating throughout the morning and targeting other patients . . . I tried several more times to intervene. I pushed my Duress [alarm] button to get assis-
tance. I touched the aggressive patient’s left arm [name censored] pushed me hard enough to offset my balance. I waited for someone to come. No one came.” • Dec. 14: “There was just me working on this unit; we normally have three people but only had two scheduled that shift. The other staff member was [on] break.” • A second Dec. 14 incident report noted a patient was restrained “for what seemed like a long time awaiting RCMP arrival” and that the patient, when being moved to a seclusion room, had to be restrained again. The incident notes the employee saying a remedy would be “having the pod
5O% OFF ANTI-REFLECTION LENS UPGRADE
Without Anti-Reflective Lenses
WITH ANTI-REFLECTIVE LENSES
fully staffed.” Other reports include interactions in which nurses were punched, bitten, scratched, pushed into doors and walls and stepped on. In almost every instance, the nursing staff sought medical attention, but finished their shifts. For the earlier part of the year, the incident-report forms had an area in which corrective action could be included. Among those recommendations were: • “Continue separating patients with hostility towards each other;” X See UNION A10
Anti Reflective Lenses reduce glare that causes eye fatigue and helps you see more clearly.
OFFER INCLUDES:
•Any Single Vision Lens •Any Bifocal Lens •Any Progressive Lens
Buy one complete pair of RX glasses (frames & lenses) at regular price of $200.00 or greater before discount and get 5O% OFF the DIFFERENCE of a Anti-Reflective lens upgrade. Hurry offer ends March 31, 2014.
EYES I N T E R N A T I O N A L
331 Victoria Street
Licensed Optician
25O-851-8992
VISION E X A M I N AT I O N S
Free with min.purchase. Call for details! (Not an eye health exam)