Working conditions have led four out of five nurses to face worsening mental health. How much longer can they take it?
Nurses are trained to work hard. Commitment is part of the job. But working through a pandemic non-stop without enough staff to share the load is simply unsustainable. It's also affecting performance. 74% of nurses told us their practise standards have been compromised due to staffing issues. And when it comes to protection, over one-third of nurses said their employer had restricted access to PPE at their worksite.
Tell the BC government enough is enough.
82%
say their mental health has worsened during the pandemic.
65%
say their physical health has worsened.
36%
report that the employer has restricted access to PPE at their worksite.
73%
of those say PPE is placed under lock and key.
What would happen if over one third of BC nurses leave?
That’s the statistic: 35% of BC nurses say the pandemic experience has made them more likely to leave nursing in the next two years. Just as BC's increasing population will demand over 26,000 MORE nurses by 2031.
Even more concerning, 51% of our ICU and emergency trained nurses said the pandemic has made them more likely to leave their specialty – highly trained nurses that are especially difficult to replace.
Surveys also show us nurses are more willing to stay in the profession if they have enough nursing colleagues to meet the demands of the health-care system. Nurses are telling us what they need.
Now the government and health employers need to listen.
35%
of all nurses say that the experience of the pandemic made them more likely to leave nursing in the next two years.
51% of Emergency and ICU nurses say the same.
76%
say that their workload has increased compared to before the pandemic.
68%
say that staffing was inadequate over the last three months.
What nurses need: It's not a simple solution, but it is a necessary one.
Providing nurses with the support they require should be a top priority for health employers and government. But what does that mean, exactly?
Simply put, a healthy future requires investing in more nurses. We are asking that a plan be developed to address crippling staffing shortages, unrealistic working conditions, and recruitment and retention of nurses in every part of this province.
59%
say the government is not doing enough to ensure nurses are safe throughout the pandemic.