THE BC Nurses’ Union (BCNU) on Thursday welcomed the BC NDP’s campaign commitment to legislate minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, calling it an important step toward strengthening patient care and building a more sustainable public health-care system.
The union said it is also pleased that the commitment, outlined in Thursday’s announcement, will meet or exceed the obligation already made by the provincial government.
It noted that since 2023, hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested in implementing minimum nurse-to-patient ratios – an initiative BCNU has championed for decades. Ratios are now activated in 96 sites across the province, and in medical and surgical units, the 1:4 standard is already helping nurses ensure patients receive timely and attentive care. Evidence shows that appropriate nurse staffing reduces preventable deaths and adverse patient outcomes, reinforcing why full implementation of ratios is so important to patient safety.
BCNU President Adriane Gear said ratio legislation represents an opportunity to build on the progress that’s already been made, provide greater certainty for patients and nurses, and support the planned expansion of ratios in emergency departments, operating rooms, long-term care and assisted living facilities, as well as community and non-hospital care settings.
But she added that safe staffing is a health-care priority that must transcend party politics and remain a commitment regardless of which party forms government.
“Safe patient care should not be a partisan issue, and minimum nurse-to-patient ratios shouldn’t be either. Ratios are about more than staffing levels – they help prevent patient harm and ensure people receive the care they need when they need it. We need all political parties to recognize the importance of this work and commit to seeing it through, because patients across BC are counting on it,” said Gear.
BCNU said it will continue to monitor the details of the proposed legislation and advocate for measures that support full implementation of minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in health-care settings like emergency departments, where staffing shortages continue to result in closures and diversions that affect patients and communities.
View the timeline of ratio implementation to learn more about the progress made to date.
