Sophia Gabiniewicz is well accustomed to dealing with stress as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at St. Paul91裸聊视频檚 Hospital in Vancouver.

But she says it rose to a new level as the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic began to swell and she recognized a familiar face in the ICU.

Gabiniewicz once worked with the woman, a 91裸聊视频渧ibrant91裸聊视频� former health worker in her 70s, who told her she had never been hospitalized in her life and that the COVID-19 infection took her by surprise.

91裸聊视频淚 worried for this person even more than I expected to,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 hoped she would be OK, but I never knew from day to day what to expect. When I went home, I would think about her.91裸聊视频�

Thankfully, the woman91裸聊视频檚 story had a 91裸聊视频渉appy ending,91裸聊视频� but Gabiniewicz said it made her realize how stressed she has been.

Gabiniewicz is among many front-line workers feeling the effects of months of strain and is urging members of the public not to bend public health protocols.

News this week that a vaccine is on its way means there is a light at the end of the tunnel, but the risk isn91裸聊视频檛 gone yet.

91裸聊视频淚 wish that people would really be careful and take it seriously because it91裸聊视频檚 unpredictable,91裸聊视频� she said.

B.C. Premier John Horgan said on Wednesday that when officials announced some vaccine would be in the province by next week, the news allowed for a brief celebration that the end is near.

91裸聊视频淏ut before we get to that place, as in any race when you see the finish line you don91裸聊视频檛 stop running, you focus, you dig down deep to find that extra resolve to get to the finish line. That91裸聊视频檚 where we are today.91裸聊视频�

Christine Sorensen, president of the B.C. Nurses Union, said she has heard from nurses across the province who are working extended hours, overtime and forgoing holidays.

The workload for some has been amplified by British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 surgical renewal program, which seeks to catch up on surgeries delayed at the beginning of the pandemic, she said.

91裸聊视频淣urses struggle with moral distress. They want to help their patients, they want to be able to deliver good-quality health care, but they are also exhausted, showing signs of burnout and need time to rest and recover themselves,91裸聊视频� Sorensen said.

91裸聊视频淣urses haven91裸聊视频檛 really had that time to recover and we91裸聊视频檙e right back into a second wave.91裸聊视频�

A survey of union members in June found that 41 per cent reported severe depression and 60 per cent were emotionally exhausted, while 57 per cent reported high levels of burnout, Sorensen said.

The pandemic has only highlighted a pre-existing shortage of nurses and a retention problem in the profession, especially in northern B.C., she said. Sorensen pointed to a report by B.C.91裸聊视频檚 auditor general in 2018 that found more than one-quarter of rural and remote nurse practitioner positions were vacant.

The union wants to see a more fulsome human resources plan at the provincial level to beef up staffing levels, Sorensen said from Kamloops, B.C.

The Health Ministry did not respond to a request for comment in time for deadline.

Kathleen Ross, president of Doctors of BC, said physicians have also adapted to the added workload. But she emphasized that while health workers are under a lot of pressure, it remains vitally important that those who think they need medical care seek it.

91裸聊视频淢y fear is that our patients91裸聊视频� responses will be, 91裸聊视频極h, I don91裸聊视频檛 want to bother my doctor because they91裸聊视频檙e burnt out,91裸聊视频� and let things slide,91裸聊视频� said Ross, a family physician in Coquitlam, B.C.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 really critically important that we encourage patients to continue to contact their family doctors, especially if they91裸聊视频檝e got a chronic illness, because we do not want underlying conditions left untreated.91裸聊视频�

Levi Elijah is taking a break from working as a mental health aide to support fellow workers as chairperson of the Hospital Employees91裸聊视频� Union local at Vancouver General Hospital.

Working at the hospital every day comes with some worry about contracting the virus, said Elijah, who uses the pronouns they and them.

After the initial fear when COVID-19 patients first began arriving at health centres, things slowed down during the summer, but the stresses rose again with the second wave, Elijah said.

91裸聊视频淲hat I have noticed throughout is the ability to cope and our resiliency gets reduced, especially now with the second wave starting and the numbers increasing. We are noticing a higher increase in mental health issues and anxiety,91裸聊视频� Elijah said.

Mike Old, a spokesman for the union, also said the surgical renewal program and second wave are highlighting staffing challenges.

The union, which represents about 20,000 long-term care and assisted living workers, supported the government91裸聊视频檚 move to limit workers to a single site as a disease control measure, but they91裸聊视频檙e now facing pressure with a second wave and flu season underway, he said.

The government is training more medical device processing technicians and the union is also working with government to fast-track programs to train more health-care assistants, but it takes time, he said.

91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 why it91裸聊视频檚 just so important that people pay attention to public health orders,91裸聊视频� Old said.

Amy Smart, The Canadian Press

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