Health and safety concerns at B.C. hospitals are back in the spotlight after a nurse was sent home after accidentally inhaling a toxic substance in a washroom this past weekend.
The nurse was working at Vancouver General Hospital around lunchtime on Friday when she got sick.
A member of the public, who Global News is not naming due to security concerns, said they saw someone go into a bathroom and come out, leaving behind a cloud of smoke.
The witness said there was a haze in the bathroom and an “acrid smell” that seemed to last for about five minutes.
They said a nurse then went into the bathroom and came out visibly sick.
“What I’ve been able to confirm is that the member is OK, but definitely experienced some symptoms and side effects of the exposure, was assessed and was not able to complete their shift,” Adriane Gear, president of the BC Nurses Union, told Global News.
In a statement, Vancouver Coastal Health said it is aware of an incident that took place, confirming a health-care provider was exposed to an unknown substance in the air.
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The organization said that safety and quality workplace processes and employee support were put in place, along with follow-up steps to review what happened.
“In our follow-up confirming the incident Friday, it was also confirmed that there was another incident in the department over the weekend, where a nurse was again exposed to an illicit substance,” Gear said.
The B.C. government outlawed the use of hard drugs in hospitals last year but the Nurses Union says it is still an ongoing issue in many health-care settings.
“Violence and exposure to illicit substances, I would say, would be the top two issues that our members consistently raise that makes them feel unsafe in the workplace,” Gear added.
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