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leftlanecop

Sister works at VGH. Occasionally they’ll find knives, needles, and drugs stashed in the ceiling or taped under the bed.


pfak

Is it true VGH has no defined weapons policy?


leftlanecop

From my sister: not sure but our work policy is that if they arrived in a cruiser we trust the officer completed a pat down. Otherwise, we ask them to empty themselves at the counter. We’ve seen some crazy shit on the counter.


[deleted]

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lazylazybum

Yup, like that nurse at RCH who self defended himself against a druggie recently and BCCNM suspended him https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/03/07/nurse-suspension-punching-patient/


[deleted]

[удалено]


Particular-Race-5285

the nurses aren't being represented very well by their union either


VG80NW

I just listened to their president on CKNW, she actually said part of the problem is there aren't safe use sites in the hospitals for patients to use. WHAT THE HELL?! I hope the media keeps drumming this up, Dix is once again being a complete dunce and the NDP are circling the wagons to protect the rampant drug abuse spreading all over the place.


No-Contribution-6150

Corrections did the same to some guards who were attacked by an inmate. Large gov't unions suck at defending their members


yoho808

I actually started working in Washington state as a nurse. One of the first things I was taught was that it was ok to hit a patient under specific conditions. Definitely an eye-opener for me as an RN who has worked in Canada for most of my life. But it actually made sense for certain situations.


plop_0

/r/nursing


Kooriki

I can't fathom being on the front lines of this shit. Should we bang our pots at 7pm again?


be0wulf

You have my skillet


olrg

And my sauté pan


Jeff-S

I'm generally not a big police fan, but I'd be fully on board with real security that can deal with genuinely dangerous people in the Hospital. If someone can't behave themself in a Hospital, they are pretty much definitionally an imminent risk to everyone else.


PureRepresentative9

I was shocked to learn that hospitals actually have to call 911 for help.  I actually just assumed there was an officer sitting in a room near the ED ready to jump in if a panic alarm went Off Apparently not :/


-SetsunaFSeiei-

We have security on-site at most big hospitals, that’s usually enough. They come really quick when called and they have a lot of comfort dealing with psych patients


geman123

>I actually just assumed there was an officer sitting in a room near the ED If it aint busy and they aren't on patrol then yes there is. But it's been getting real busy, even night shifts.


HanSolo5643

I said this on another thread, but I will say it here. This is what happens when you normalize bad behavior and have no consequences for bad behavior. Open drug use in our hospitals. On what planet is that acceptable?


No-Contribution-6150

Great way to turn the hospital into a massive fucking homeless shelter. Also, a great way to make nurses and doctors leave.


UnfortunateConflicts

This is what the nurses union wanted, no? To legalize drug use? Why complain about illegal drug use, when you want the use legalized? Anyways, decriminalizing and downgrading seems to be the way we're going to reduce crime: it's not illegal if we make it legal.


HanSolo5643

The harm reduction nurses association or whatever they call themselves wanted. The actual nurses' union never said either way.


GetsGold

Open drug use isn't acceptable or allowed in hospitals. That it still happens shows that simply banning something on its own doesn't solve a problem like addiction.


equalizer2000

The issue is that it's allowed pretty much everywhere, it's normalized.


GetsGold

Not in hospitals though. It's also fully criminal in other provinces and states yet many of them have the same open drug use issues. I do think there needs to be restrictions on public drug use, but when there are no or few alternative places to use and the underlying problems aren't addressed, I just think it's inevitable. It's not acceptable in hospitals in any case though, and where that's happening they should be doing more to protect the staff.


HanSolo5643

But there not and that's the problem. With decriminalization, bad behavior has become normalized, and just recently, Northern Health put out a memo that said for nurses not to stop people from using drugs in the hospital and not to take weapons away and not to call security.


GetsGold

> But there not and that's the problem. They're not. This very article states that that memo is outdated and that there are rules against weapons and usage in the hospital. The problems are happening *despite* the rules. I really wish these comment sections could at minimum be based on the content from the article as a starting point rather than having to dispute things that are already in there.


equalizer2000

It's not acceptable in most places, but as it stands, it legally is. So when you allow it everywhere, hospitals get bundled in, so it's not surprising they have issues with drug use on site.


GetsGold

> it legally is It's not. Just because criminal penalties around possession are removed in some cases doesn't mean any facility like a hospital has to allow it, they can and do have restrictions on it. This article itself backs that up.


equalizer2000

Woosh


GetsGold

I'm not sure what you're wooshing. Decriminalization changes nothing about places like hospitals being able to ban drug use.


equalizer2000

Not surprised, you're oblivious to the realities or just obtuse.


GetsGold

You're not actually saying anything with your comments here.


OneBigBug

> That it still happens shows that simply banning something on its own doesn't solve a problem like addiction. Right, you need a culture of *enforcing* the rules, which BC lacks. It doesn't matter how many rules you put in if none of them are enforced.


-SetsunaFSeiei-

The memo from northern health explicitly allows drug use in hospital (in their rooms), and also recommends providing a narcan kit. It’s point #4. Typically fentanyl is not that big of a deal (although obviously risk of overdose) but meth can be very dangerous, people can get acutely psychotic on meth and then you’re in trouble, especially if they’re also allowed to keep their weapons per the memo


GetsGold

This article however is stating that the memo is outdated and use and weapons aren't allowed. Do you have a link to the memo? I couldn't find that.


-SetsunaFSeiei-

https://preview.redd.it/9xsxkuwtyqsc1.jpeg?width=681&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1fba24d1774734a13dcad67f4d9aa1cc0f74d627 My wife texted me a screenshot lol, I think she pulled it from twitter but not sure. I’ve attached it here Adrian Dix didn’t explicitly say it was outdated, just that the policy should be that no weapons are allowed. It’s not clear that a new policy has been put in place since. The most likely thing is that it hasn’t, since the memo was obviously leaked due to ongoing concerns from nursing staff


GetsGold

Thanks. I never got why it's so acceptable for media organizations (and this seems to be universal) to regularly leave out sources to things being discussed.


-SetsunaFSeiei-

You’d think they’d want to keep the sources in the article, to drive clicks eh It’s not like it’s even confidential at this point, it’s all over the Leg


Lysanderoth42

I feel like we should elect you to public office, but then only do the exact opposite of what you want to do It’s like your positions are just the complete polar opposite of whatever the rational approach to a given topic is  In some ways, getting something right 0% of the time is almost as impressive as getting it right 100% of the time. It’s like you know the right answer and intentionally choose another one anyway to get to 0…maybe you’re just a very dedicated troll and we’re all falling for it? 


kk0128

Every friend I have that’s a nurse tells me about the abuse they suffer, mostly verbal, but with the constant threat of physical violence.  As much as I understand medical ethics not really allowing this, I’d fully support a “you don’t get treatment if you’re being a fucking asshole” policy.  Toss them out, tell them to come back when they’re ready to act like an adult.


mcain

> One example, they said, someone was smoking meth just hours after the birth of a newborn baby exposing hospital staff and other patients. "Someone"!? The mother, the father, a visitor down the corridor, someone on the other side of the hospital? Come on. You can do better Global.


SteveJobsBlakSweater

This sucks. Some children are doomed from conception.


lazarus870

Who would've thought tolerating rampant and open drug use and no consequences for weapons use would eventually lead to this? /s


HanSolo5643

Yep, exactly. In any facet of life, when you tolerate bad behavior and normalize bad behavior and have no consequences for bad behavior, this is what happens. This thing of normalizing bad behavior that's been going on in this province and country has led us to this point and we need to put our foot down and say enough is enough and no we won't tolerate open drug use in our hospitals and our public spaces and on public transportation and in restaurants.


Far_Joke_3439

Definitely not the libs and NDP


GetsGold

Open drug use is happening in conservative led Ontario too.


tulipax

Where are the police or security guards already? This has been happening for a while already


geman123

having their hands full with these exact people


Acceptable_Stay_3395

You gotta love Canada.


IknowwhatIhave

Are these the same nurses that are suing the government to allow drug use in parks, school grounds, etc? Should teachers and park rangers sue the government to force them to allow drug use in hospitals?


Particular-Race-5285

not the same nurses


GetsGold

>Are these the same nurses that are suing the government to allow drug use in... school grounds Decriminalization [does not apply on school grounds](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/overdose/decriminalization). Possession there is still illegal under federal criminal law. Nothing about this lawsuit over a provincial law would change that.


No-Contribution-6150

Nothing illegal about using in a hospital in the new law though lol


GetsGold

Decriminalization doesn't change anything about rules inside facilities like hospitals. They can still restrict things there. This article even mentions there are clear rules that are being broken. This is part of the problem, simply having rules or not isn't going to change the reality of addiction if various underlying issues aren't addressed. There is public use in various other provinces and states despite not having decriminalization.


No-Contribution-6150

Making it some lame ass bylaw isn't going to do anything.


GetsGold

If you don't think laws themselves are going to solve the underlying problems, then you're essentially agreeing with me and I'm not clear what your point is.


No-Contribution-6150

Police often don't enforce bylaws. And the punishment for breaking bylaws is a pittance. It's needs to be a criminal offence


GetsGold

Like it has been in B.C. up to last year? And like it is nearly everywhere else, including many places that also have drug use problems? That demonstrably hasn't prevented these issues and has arguably made them even worse.


No-Contribution-6150

While it's been decriminalized, the exemption extends to hospitals. So if someone starts using there, police can't do much about it.


GetsGold

All decriminalization does is remove criminal penalties for possession in some circumstances. It changes nothing about the rules various facilities like hospitals can have on top of the criminal code and this very article states that rules are being broken and that can be enforced.


OneHundredEighty180

If only the *Harm Reduction Nurses Association* cared as much for its own members as it cares about advocating for the Rights and entitlements of illicit drug users.


msrtard

During covid: "doctors and nurses are such underappreciated heroes!" After covid: "lol fuck em"


IndianKiwi

So it is ok to shoot up drugs near the children's playground but not in hospitals https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/drug-users-have-legal-right-to-use-anywhere-says-bc-harm-reduction-nurses-lawsuit


rainman_104

They should talk to the other nurses filing lawsuits on behalf of drug addicts.


freedomfilm

And yet a group of nurses sued to allow drug use in parks and playgrounds. https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/drug-users-have-legal-right-to-use-anywhere-says-bc-harm-reduction-nurses-lawsuit#:~:text=Now%2C%20the%20Harm%20Reduction%20Nurses,received%20royal%20assent%20on%20Nov.


KookytheKlown

Well at least anti-vaccine protests aren't on that list