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chemgear · 04-09-2024, 09:16 AM

https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/...tients-8567326

The conditions in northern B.C. hospitals pale in comparison to what’s happening in Vancouver, a source says

“Absolutely there are people throughout that hospital who are dealing and using everywhere,” one nurse who works there told me.

“When we all saw that news thing about Northern Health we were laughing our asses off, saying they should take a walk down Burrard Street, walk through St. Paul’s.”

Increasingly, nurses are getting sick from having to walk through toxic plumes of fentanyl from all the drug smoking in rooms, bathrooms and hallways, said the union. Members have said when they complain, they are accused of not being supportive enough of harm reduction.

Perhaps nowhere is the situation worse than at St. Paul’s, which is ground zero for B.C.’s overdose crisis due to its proximity to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

“You can barely walk into some of the rooms, there’s needles and broken crack pipes and dirty food all over the floor,” the nurse told me.

Smoking drugs is now the most popular method for consumption, B.C. officials have said. Yet patients can’t smoke drugs in St. Paul’s fourth floor overdose prevention site. So they go outside to the rooftop garden patio of the Providence building, where drug dealers have taken up court to prey on the audience. Nothing is done to deter them.

“We have patients in four-bed rooms that have been exposed to patients fighting with their drug dealers in the room and having their personal effects stolen,” the nurse said.

That’s outrageous, said Sturko.

“Would I be comfortable sending my grandmother, who might have a broken hip, and have her lying beside someone who might be smoking crystal meth and have a weapon?” said Sturko. “Probably not.”

04-09-2024, 09:16 AM	#1307
chemgear Franchise Player Join Date: Feb 2010 Exp:	https://www.biv.com/news/commentary/...tients-8567326 The conditions in northern B.C. hospitals pale in comparison to what’s happening in Vancouver, a source says “Absolutely there are people throughout that hospital who are dealing and using everywhere,” one nurse who works there told me. “When we all saw that news thing about Northern Health we were laughing our asses off, saying they should take a walk down Burrard Street, walk through St. Paul’s.” Increasingly, nurses are getting sick from having to walk through toxic plumes of fentanyl from all the drug smoking in rooms, bathrooms and hallways, said the union. Members have said when they complain, they are accused of not being supportive enough of harm reduction. Perhaps nowhere is the situation worse than at St. Paul’s, which is ground zero for B.C.’s overdose crisis due to its proximity to Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. “You can barely walk into some of the rooms, there’s needles and broken crack pipes and dirty food all over the floor,” the nurse told me. Smoking drugs is now the most popular method for consumption, B.C. officials have said. Yet patients can’t smoke drugs in St. Paul’s fourth floor overdose prevention site. So they go outside to the rooftop garden patio of the Providence building, where drug dealers have taken up court to prey on the audience. Nothing is done to deter them. “We have patients in four-bed rooms that have been exposed to patients fighting with their drug dealers in the room and having their personal effects stolen,” the nurse said. That’s outrageous, said Sturko. “Would I be comfortable sending my grandmother, who might have a broken hip, and have her lying beside someone who might be smoking crystal meth and have a weapon?” said Sturko. “Probably not.”