LETTERS

Nursing BC, Jul 2009

A Safe Workplace is Good for Patient Care

In the You Asked column in the April 2009 edition of Nursing BC, the article states that "a refusal to float is only justified when the risk of harm to clients is greater by accepting the assignment than by refusing it." This statement is inconsistent with the CRNBC Practice Standard Duty to Provide Care, which states: ". . . you are not obligated to place yourself in situations where care delivery would entail unreasonable danger to your personal safety."

Under B.C.'s Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, a worker must not carry out any work that ". . . would create undo hazard to the health and safety of any person."

WorkSafeBC believes that safe, quality care cannot be provided under circumstances which are hazardous for the people working there. We know that nurses also believe this and ask them to give the same priority to their own safety as they do to their clients. A safe and healthy workplace is good for patient care.

Betty Pirs, Executive Director

Prevention Services

WorkSafeBC

While of the surface it may seem that this statement is inconsistent with the Practice Standard, it was written in response to a nurse 's concern that she might not be able to meet Practice Standards in an unfamiliar setting in which there was a lack of staff, not because of any danger or risk to personal safety - ed.

The Facts on HPV

Over the last few months I have come across some very biased letters written to our collegial magazine. I feel that I must now take a stance and defend my practice, as I feel it is being questioned and thought of as less than diligent. I realize we are entitled to an opinion, however, when it was insinuated in a letter to the editor in the April issue of CRNBC that I humbly go about my practice mechanically without purposeful thought, without basing it on evidence-based research, conscientious action and, finally, without practising in the best interest of the public - you are sorely mistaken. I take my role in public health and my CRNBC Standards very seriously. The following is what I know about the HPV vaccine.

Vaccines in Canada are only licensed for use if they meet very strict standards for safety and effectiveness. Vaccines are diligently monitored through the combined efforts of Health Canada and Canada Vigilance, the Centers for Disease Control and the (WHO) Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety, just to name a few very prestigious and evidence-based coalitions. It is my presumption these highly educated professionals do not take their roles in science lightly nor the recommendations they stand for. Vaccine is one of the most transparent and highly regulated drugs I am aware of in comparison to the plethora of medications dispensed in hospital/pharmacy settings (on that note, I do not recall any strong controversy from the medical field when things like flexeril or conjugated estrogen were taken off the market due to the side effects).The HPV vaccine is available in 93 countries abroad and has been available in Canada since 2006.

The HPV vaccine was studied on more than 20,000 women in North America, Europe, Latin America and the Asia Pacific Region, none of which candidates suffered significantly adverse events due to the vaccine. We know the vaccine is most effective for 5.2 years. It has been readily acknowledged that a booster dose may be required (which would not be the only vaccine to require a booster dose). We know that the efficacy of the vaccine is strong due to antibody titres post vaccination. We know the side effects. We know that the vaccine will protect against the two HPV strains (16 and 18) that cause 70% of cervical cancers.

What we do not know is when the funding will run out for this publicly funded vaccine young women can either choose to or not to receive (hence they are not guinea pigs as these young women do have a choice).

In closing, I convey to you, yes I am an advocate for a safe vaccine that prevents a young woman from having to endure the biopsies, the chemo/radiation, the pain and the premature mortality they may face if diagnosed with cervical cancer that we could have prevented with vaccine. I have great confidence in the Society of Obstetrics and Gynaecologists of Canada, the BC Cancer Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and the medical officers of health. For more facts on HPV vaccine and cervical cancer I recommend you view the immunizebc.ca website, the BCCDC website, articles posted in the CMAJ or contact your local public health nurse

Jessi Minnabarriet, RN, BSN

Cache Creek, BC

More on Online Publishing

I, too, wish to go on record with Janine Brown that printing the magazine only online is a bad decision. Many nurses are working mothers who have full-time jobs, plus going home to the kids and hubby each night. They don't have time to go online to read Nursing BC, even if they can get their computer away from the kids (and that's assuming they have a computer). Many nurses probably read when they are heading to bed or a few minutes out on the patio while the children are quiet.