For Immediate Release Monday, November 23, 2009
UNA joins nurses' unions across Canada calling for a halt to elimination of nurses from direct blood donor screening
Why place Canada’s blood supply at risk?
Edmonton – United Nurses of Alberta is joining nurses from across Canada in calling on Canadian Blood Services (CBS) to halt their plan to eliminate nurses from direct blood donor screening. CBS plans to replace donor-screening nurses with unlicensed “multi-skilled workers” who have a training program of approximately eight weeks.
“We believe CBS would undermine the confidence of Canadians in the blood supply, by drastically reducing the qualifications of screeners,” says UNA President Heather Smith.
“Given the Canadian experience with blood safety problems we are surprised at the CBS proposal to drastically reduce the skill level of first stage donor assessment,” Heather Smith said.
“The professional assessment and clinical experience of nurses is essential to the most thorough screening,” says Heather Smith. “Nurses are highly skilled in assessment across an entire range from health and physcial factors through to psychological ones. Nurses’ assessment skills cannot be replaced by a multi-skilled worker who’s primarily trained to help donors complete a questionnaire.”
“On behalf of 158,000 nurses, nurses unions have asked Health Canada to reject the Canadian Blood Services proposal to replace nurses with unregulated, lesser skilled workers”, says Linda Silas, RN, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions. “The proposal to replace nurses is a step in the wrong direction.”
In a letter sent last week to federal health minister Leona Aglukkaq, nurses’ unions detailed their objections to the Canadian Blood Services proposal to eliminate nurses from direct donor screening.
“We know from the Krever Commission that the drive for cost-effectiveness and cost-efficiency can jeopardize blood safety. One of the most critical elements to ensuring a safe blood supply is the careful screening and assessment of all potential blood donors,” says Heather Smith.
Since the 1997 Justice Krever inquiry following the tainted blood tragedy where more than 1,000 Canadians who received blood transfusions were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C, Canadian Blood Services has built their reputation as providers of safe blood. "The screening of potential donors has become even more expensive and intrusive," Justice Krever said in his report. "Careful screening is essential to maintain a safe blood supply and it must continue."
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For more information or comment: Heather Smith, President United Nurses of Alberta 780 425-1025.
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