BC Nurses continue to work tirelessly as the COVID-19 pandemic swamps our healthcare sector.
Christine Sorensen is the President of the BC Nurses who dealt with outbreaks such as HIV, Hepatitis, as well as SARS and H1N1.
She told MyNechakoValleyNow.com while those times were challenging, the coronavirus pandemic is on a different level.
“So those have all been a part of my career and it has been challenging even at those times but this is certainly at an unprecedented scale. We are all working as quickly as we can to scale up to get the health care system ready.”
Sorensen adds the nurses working within Northern Health are doing the best they can.
“We’ve been mentioning for a long time about the staffing issues in the north with nurses. The nurses that are currently working are feeling even more pressure at this time but I am pleased to report that they are a resilient lot in answering the call to show up.”
“But they are also very stressed ability to care for their patients, their ability to safely go home at the end of the evening and to make sure they are not transmitting anything back to their communities and families.”
Last week, the government declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sorensen also touched on the scariest part of the virus.
“I think what is concerning is how widespread it is and the pandemic that has happened around the world along with the number of cases that has started to test positive that are also requiring acute care, it is the volume and large numbers the virus is presenting and we’re seeing this in other countries.”
Earlier this month, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC put out a call for recently retired doctors to return to work.
Sorensen stated the BC College of Nursing Professionals issued a similar call where Temporary Emergency Registration is available.
“For nurses, we do have to register with the college and so the college will be monitoring those people who return as nurses into the nursing field to provide care and making sure they are fit and able to practice.”
Northern Health has nine cases of coronavirus, while the province has 617 cases.