Alarming Rates of Workplace Injuries Among Nurses Prompt Urgent Concern, Affirms Union President”
President Yvette Coffey Advocates for the Establishment of an Independent Health Sector Safety Council to Safeguard Nurses from Injuries
Each day, throughout the entire year, a registered nurse or licensed practical nurse sustains occupational injuries in Newfoundland and Labrador, on average.
According to WorkplaceNL data, this has been an ongoing occurrence for a minimum of the past seven years.
President Yvette Coffey of the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland and Labrador remarked, “These statistics are profoundly concerning.”
In response to CBC News inquiries, WorkplaceNL provided information on the frequency of nurses filing reports for workplace injuries since 2016.
The yearly cumulative of injury reports submitted by both registered and licensed practical nurses has consistently hovered around 400 since 2016.
The peak year, with 450 nurses reporting injuries, was 2018. The figures for 2023 are pending finalization, as per WorkplaceNL, the entity overseeing the workers’ compensation system in the province.
Coffey notes that injuries are likely underreported, emphasizing, “Any injury mandates time off work with essentially half the regular pay.”
She further adds, “We lack precise statistics as many nurses, both registered and licensed practical, refrain from claiming workers’ compensation due to financial concerns. Instead, they deplete their sick leave.”
Coffey urges attention to the “high rate of sick leave” among healthcare workers, particularly nurses.
Workplace NL reports that 408 nurses in Newfoundland and Labrador filed injury reports in 2022.
Coffey asserts that the reported injuries are often severe and life-altering. Some result from workplace violence endured by nurses, including incidents leading to broken noses and soft tissue or muscle injuries.
Coffey highlights the urgent need to address these issues and points out that the health sector, encompassing family services, home care, and personal care homes, exhibits the highest incidence of injuries in the province. The rate of violence is 3.9 percent higher in healthcare than any other sector.
Despite the union’s persistent calls for measures to reduce injuries, WorkplaceNL data indicates that the annual injury rate has not significantly changed since 2016.
Coffey emphasizes the union’s long-standing advocacy for an independent health sector safety council, funded by employers and comprising both union members and employers. This council would address injuries and violence in the healthcare sector, similar to safety councils in other industries.
Health Minister Tom Osborne supports the idea of a Health Sector Safety Council
Health Minister Tom Osborne expresses support for the idea of a Health Sector Safety Council, acknowledging the need to ensure a safe workplace free of violence for healthcare providers. He asserts a commitment to collaborate with unions and the health authority to allocate necessary resources.
Coffey identifies financial constraints as a likely obstacle and notes that N.L. Health Services’ funding originates from the provincial government.
Osborne addresses this concern, stating, “We will certainly work with the unions and the health authority to ensure that the resources needed to address this issue are available.
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