B.C. nurses begin targeted job action, refuse non-nursing duties and non-essential overtime

Nurses across British Columbia began targeted job action on Thursday by refusing to perform non-nursing duties and non-essential overtime as contract negotiations with the provincial government continue.

According to the BC Nurses' Union, the action is intended to bring the province back to the bargaining table with what the union describes as a meaningful offer that addresses nurses' long-standing concerns. The union said members are continuing to provide patient care while focusing on the clinical responsibilities for which they are trained.

The union said nurses have stopped performing duties that are not directly related to nursing, including transporting laboratory samples, delivering medications and serving meal trays. It said those tasks should not be assigned to registered nurses.

The BC Nurses' Union has also warned that the targeted job action could escalate after it issued a 72-hour strike notice if negotiations do not progress.