The BC Nurses Union is again sounding the alarm over safety fears after the assault of a health-care worker in Vancouver earlier this week.
The Vancouver Police Department says a nurse was violently attacked just outside Vancouver General Hospital on Monday night, at a nearby parkade. The victim sustained serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.
President of the BC Nurses’ Union, Adriane Gear, says communication from Vancouver Coastal Health — the area’s health authority — has been minimal, and has left staff with unanswered questions and fears about their own safety.
“There’s lots of information swirling, and that’s the piece that staff are trying to understand,” she told 1130 NewsRadio. “Was it targeted? Do we need to worry? Was this something random? And what steps are you taking to keep me safe?”
Gear says urgent action needs to be taken, including better security, updated violence prevention training, and even consideration of a hospital police presence in order to keep workers safe.
“Health-care spaces are becoming less safe,” she stated. “In fact, in some instances, they’re just dangerous.”
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“And so what are we going to do about it? Let’s stop fighting about it. Stop being political. Let’s stop weaponizing it. Let’s lean into it and come up with some solutions,” Gear said.
Monday’s assault comes after multiple incidents across the province that have endangered health-care workers in hospitals and other health-care settings.
On March 8 of this year, a nurse at Langley Memorial Hospital was assaulted. Just days later on March 13, a nurse was violently attacked while on the job at Vancouver General Hospital. At the time, Gear said the nurse was strangled to the point of unconsciousness.
In November 2024, a student nurse was assaulted by a patient while training in Vancouver during her first clinical placement. Gear shared at the time that she had been “struck with a knife.” The following month, a 41-year-old man was charged with assault causing bodily harm after allegedly assaulting a nurse at Eagle Ridge Hospital.
“People are outraged and very concerned that this has happened,” Gear said. “It really highlights the important conversations that we need to continue to have about the level of violence that is experiences by health-care workers in this province.”
