COURTENAY, B.C- A potential staffing change at the Comox Valley Hospital has been cancelled by Island Health.
According to a worker at the hospital, there had been plans to replace licensed practical nurses (LPN’s) with registered nurses (RN’s) which came forward from hospital administration in late August.
The exact number of nurses that would have been impacted by the switch is not clear.
However, the staffing changes were not made, after the BC Nurses’ Union raised staff concerns with administration.
“Union representatives met with the employer last week to bring forward staff concerns about proposed staffing changes in the surgical units,” said Adriane Gear, the vice-president of the union, in a written statement.
“I understand that the changes are now being reconsidered. It is imperative that any changes in staffing consider the workload of the nurses and all possible impacts on patient care”
Cheryl Bloxham, who is a spokesperson for Island Health, confirmed the abandonment of the staffing change.
