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Penticton nurse distressed by continuing illicit drug use in hospital with lacking safety policy

Sick of drugs at hospital

A Penticton Regional Hospital nurse is exhausted by what they describe as continued use of illegal substances in the hospital — and a lack of action to stop it.

Jules*, along with other nurses in their unit, allege that they have recently been exposed to fentanyl multiple times, due to a patient continuously smoking the drug.

They also allege they have seen a growing number of patients attend the emergency room who are also using drugs.

The protocols in place to protect staff are not working, they claim.

When patients are using substances, they are asked to stop. If needed, security is called to reinforce the compliance.

"We are encouraged to call security if we feel in danger, but they come up and they tell them not to do it, and then that's it. It doesn't really change anything," Jules said.

"It would be nice to have better safeguards in place for the staff working at the hospital, and the other patients that are there. It's not fair that they're getting exposed to this."

If a patient returns who is known for carrying substances, they are searched before being admitted. But Jules claims that doesn't work either.

"Part of the protocol that was put in is that [the patient] would be searched every time [they] come and go. But, I mean, they're not doing a [full pat down]," Jules said.

"We don't have time to call in security every single time [the patient] comes and goes. We have other patients and there's other stuff going on."

There are staff protocols to protect healthcare workers from smoke or fumes through personal protective equipment, or PPE, but Jules claims the effectiveness is not clear.

"From my understanding, they're not even completely sure what PPE is effective against those vapours and whatever ... Our unit's not equipped with respirators or anything."

They went on to say a few of the nurses were not feeling well after being exposed to the fentanyl smoke.

"We were told to go down to emergency and just file some WorkSafe BC claims, but nothing really happened."

Options such as cornering off an area of the hospital to treat those who do use drugs seems unfair to those who will have to look after the patients, Jules said.

Jules said they understand addiction does not have a simple treatment or cure, and individuals struggling with substance use, including the use of illicit drugs, equally deserve medical treatment for the illness that has led them to seek hospital care.

"I feel bad because I understand that it's not that person doing it in spite of us, and you want to help them as well, and you have this whole moral thing going on," Jules added.

"Nobody really knows what to do. I wish that there was better help for [the users], or, I don't know, maybe that the drugs weren't so available."

Castanet reached out to Interior Health for comment as to whether Penticton Regional Hospital staff are dealing with continual exposure to an illicit substance in one of its units, and whether the matter is being investigated.

Interior Health did not provide a direct response to that query.

They did provide documentation as to what formal policies are in place for handling a patient caught using illicit substances in the hospital, which are that smoking is not permitted on any Interior Health properties and they follow the Substance Use and Additions Management Policy provided by the Ministry of Health in April 2024.

"Any incident involving illicit substances in a hospital is concerning because of the risk it poses to patients and staff. It is important to stress that," IH said in their statement.

"However, if a patient violates policy and an illicit substance is used, we have undertaken training and implemented safety procedures to help keep staff and patients safe."

Following such incidents, policy dictates check-ins with the staff to provide support and, in the case of a major incident, a report to WorkSafe BC.

The new policy was implemented in 2024 after a Northern Health memo was leaked directing hospital staff not to search or seize patients’ drugs or weapons with blades less than four inches long, or restrict visitors who bring patients drugs for personal use.

The B.C. Nurses’ Union reported at the time that prohibitions against smoking in hospitals are not being enforced.

This included a Victoria General Hospital nurse reporting that nurses have seen habitual illicit drug use by patients in hospitals and a Campbell River nurse reported being exposed to street drugs in the hospital on six occasions.

IH was also fined $274,000 in the fall of 2024 after exposing employees at Penticton Regional Hospital to illicit drugs without proper training for how to deal with such a situation.

A task force started working on the policy for the Ministry of Health, which saw criticism early on. In December, the government revoked the Restricting Public Consumption of Illegal Substances Act, which was passed in November 2023.

Jules said the new rules around illicit drug use in hospitals are not much different than before.

"They try to help out this population, but I don't really know what they're trying to do to help except give them the same drugs in different forms or try to help them through the withdrawal process and then just putting that back on to the streets," Jules said.

The problem does not come with a silver-bullet solution, Jules said, but better protection is needed for health care workers, along with more substance-use treatment plans and options.

"It's a tough situation. I don't think anybody has the answers. But whatever they're doing right now, it's not working."

*Castanet has verified Jules' identity and agreed to use a pseudonym



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