The BC Nurses’ Union is demanding answers after a nurse, at Kelowna General Hospital’s emergency department, was reportedly assaulted by a patient.

“I think it’s a very tragic situation that absolutely could have been prevented,” said Christina Sorensen, BCNU’s president.

According to the B.C. Nurses’ Union, the nurse that was assaulted was supposed to be behind a safety barrier.

“We ensured that the nurses would be behind a Plexiglas screen and a locked door. For some reason there was a decision made that during the pandemic, that there would be a table set outside that secure location,” said Sorensen.

Sorensen says she’s extremely concerned to hear that the COVID-19 screening desk, where this nurse was working at the time, was allegedly not secure.

“I don’t understand from a safety perspective,” Sorensen told Global News on Friday.

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“I also don’t understand why there wasn’t a Plexiglas barrier put in place to protect the nurse from somebody coughing or showing signs of COVID.”

In response to Global News’ request for comment, Interior Health provided the following statement: 

“Interior Health takes all incidents of aggressive behaviour at our sites very seriously. Safety for patients, staff, physicians and the public is a key component to our ability to deliver health services. Keeping our health care staff safe at work in particular is a top priority and we are fully committed to continued focus on both physical and psychological safety in the workplace. There is a dedicated 24-hour security presence in the emergency department at Kelowna General Hospital.

“Additionally, as part of the pandemic response, staff members who interact directly with patients are all provided with appropriate personal protective equipment. At the time of the incident yesterday, the security officer was working directly with the staff and intervened immediately.”

Sorensen says she wants more information then what was given in Interior Health’s statement.

“No, I don’t think that’s an adequate response,” said Sorensen.

“I still question who made the decision to place a nurse outside the appropriate triage desk that had already been approved and that was safe.”

Sorensen also says she’s been hearing from nurses that adequate personal protective equipment is not as accessible as IH would like people to believe.

“I hear from nurses all over the province, including KGH, that accessing the appropriate personal protective equipment that they need under the precautionary principle, that is appropriate for them, to wear is very difficult,” said Sorensen.

According to the RCMP, a 37-year-old Vernon man who reportedly struck the emergency room nurse at Kelowna General Hospital was arrested and released for a future court date.

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