OTTAWA, Jan. 12, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada's frontline nurses today called on Canada to put safety first in 2015 by making the health and safety of health care workers, patients and communities a top priority. The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), which represents close to 200,000 frontline nurses, released a video today highlighting their concerns about Canada's Ebola preparedness. The video's message: Ensure the safety of nurses who care for patients!
"Frontline health care workers learned a lot from the SARS and H1N1 crises," said CFNU President Linda Silas. "A weak response to the Ebola threat means we failed to heed those lessons. The CFNU is committed to ensuring we don't fail health care workers as they care for their patients."
The CFNU and provincial nurses unions are working with public health care agencies and provincial governments across Canada to ensure proper protective equipment, training and staffing are available to protect health care workers.
"We give firefighters the proper equipment to enter dangerous situations and protect public safety. Nurses deserve the same protection," said Silas. "Safety is non-negotiable."
The CFNU commits to making 2015 a safe year for nurses and health care workers: safe from infectious diseases; safe from violence; safe from cuts to permanent and stable employment.
View the video
Canada's Frontline Nurses call on Canada to Put Safety First in 2015
| Source: Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions