B.C. nurses rally against workplace violence

Janice McCaffrey has been a nurse for 40 years, most of which she spent working in critical care. But about a year ago, she was the one in need of emergency care after she was attacked by a patient while at work. 

McCaffrey said she was helping the patient on June 6, 2024, who needed to be cleaned up after he had been sick to his stomach. 

As they walked down the hall, "He didn't say a word to me," she said. McCaffrey wasn't able to actually do anything for the patient before he attacked her. 

"He punched me over and over and over again."

McCaffrey said the assault left her with bleeding in the brain and a serious concussion that led to cognitive issues and trouble with balance and seizures.

McCaffrey is one of many nurses who showed up on Wednesday afternoon at a rally to draw attention to workplace violence in health-care settings. 

According to WorkSafeBC, in 2024, there were 1,102 allowed claims from nurses, nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates where the accident type was an act of violence or force, compared to 988 in 2020. 

"The potential for violence exists whenever there is direct interaction between workers and non-workers," a WorkSafeBC spokesperson said.

"All employers in B.C. are legally obligated to protect the health and safety of their workers — and this includes protecting workers from acts of violence. WorkSafeBC regulations require that employers conduct a risk assessment, have policies and procedures in place to protect workers from the risk of violence, and provide instruction to workers."

The B.C. Nurses Union said WorkSafeBC data shows shows time-loss claims related to workplace violence among nurses are increasing: there were an average of 25 claims per month in 2014, and in 2023, there were 46.

"Anecdotally, we know violence is on the rise," BCNU  President Adriane Gear said. "Now we have the data to back that up."

The union is calling for the province to make changes to policies and legislation to better protect health-care workers in the workplace. 

"It is a requirement of employers to keep their workers safe. We would just like health authorities to do their job."

She said they'd also like to see some sort of alert system implemented that flagged patients who have a known history of violence with health-care workers and more security. 

McCaffrey said patients come into hospitals with weapons and actively use drugs, making the workplace that much more dangerous. 

"We need to have safety for the nurses, and we also need a working environment that promotes safety. The environment that we have right now does not."

CBC News has contacted the Ministry of Health for comment. 

Wednesday's rally comes a few months after a similar event, organized by the BCNU, was held in Vancouver calling for better working conditions, increased staffing and better safety in healthcare-related workplaces. The February rally was held as negotiations for a new contract with employers were set to begin. 

As of Wednesday, the union said bargaining hadn't started yet. A spokesperson said they expect negotiations to begin in the fall.