By Cheryl Jahn

BCNU seeks Council’s help

Apr 14, 2025 | 1:52 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Nurse-to-patient ratios. That is the goal for the BC Nurses Union.

“Every one nurse on a medical surgical floor would be in charge of four patients,” explains Raelene Stevenson, Regional Lobby Coordinator. “So and then that fluctuates between the different units that we have obviously here in the hospital.”

Of a survey of 15,000 nurses conducted by the BC Nurses Union, 84 per cent said ratios were a ‘must have.’

“It was borne basically for patient safety, obviously, nurse safety as well. But, for every single patient above for instance one, two, four for every single patient above that that a nurse has to care for, there’s an increased risk of a 30-day mortality. They’ve done studies where it can increase anywhere from 10 to 16 per cent.”

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Stevenson went before Council recently soliciting help. Nearly half of BC nurses are under 40, and over 90 per cent are women; child care and other local resources that help promote work/life balance are essential. And some areas were highlighted specifically day care, recreation, transportation and – a biggie – housing.

“Housing. We can designate some middle kind of density suitable for nursing because of some the nurses and maybe married, some of them being 40 years or younger, so they need some childcare nearby,” says Mayor Simon Yu.

“Just within the north, we’ve got a lot of seasons, we’ve got a lot of activities,” says Stevenson. “So I think the communities are really starting to step up and showcase what they’ve got to offer for nurses, for work life balance and things like that.”

But she says more can be done, asking local governments all across the North to tell their story to those who can help.