New B.C. bill would help workers exposed to bodily fluids

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New B.C. bill would help workers exposed to bodily fluids

By TRACY SHERLOCK, Vancouver Sun

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People whose bodily fluids come into contact with emergency workers may be

forced to undergo blood tests for diseases like HIV and hepatitis if a private

members bill introduced in B.C. Tuesday passes.

The bill allows emergency workers and Good Samaritans to ask the courts to

compel a person to provide information through their doctor if they have a

communicable disease, said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country, who

introduced the bill.

Letnick said the bill is intended not only to physically help people exposed to

bodily fluids, but also to emotionally support their families.

“The mere fact of being spat on by someone in the eye with blood, or by rescuing

someone and during the rescue having their bodily fluids in contact with an open

wound, these kind of issues not only impact the victim, but also their impact

their families.” Letnick said. “Imagine if you think you might get a

communicable disease, what that does to a family.”

Letnick introduced the bill at the urging of local firefighters.

“The local firefighters came to see me and they said they had a real need for

this legislation. It’s been enacted in several other provinces, but not in

B.C.,” Letnick said.

The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. organization supports the bill, said

Strohmaier, president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C.

“It’s certainly a significant health and safety issue for paramedics and their

families and we support any bill that provides some assurance that if we take

somebody into the hospital and we have been exposed to their bodily fluids, that

we have the right to determine whether we have to take precautions.

“It can be life changing for an emergency service worker if they come into

contact with those illnesses.”

Medications can be given to mitigate risks from these diseases, and the sooner

they’re given the better, Letnick said.

“What they’re left with right now is making the assumption that they’ve got

something. It’s their choice, but usually they take a concoction of medical

drugs that have side effects and potentially they’re doing it for nothing,”

Letnick said.

Letnick said the bill needs to be cleared by the Speaker of the House first, and

likely won’t be voted on until the fall.

“My plan right now is to go around B.C. and get some stories,” Letnick said. “My

job now is to go to communities around the province and identify the need for

the bill by talking to paramedics and police officers and others to find out how

they were impacted by not having this bill.”

Letnick, who is a member of the Liberal caucus, said he decided to introduce the

bill after Premier Christy said during her leadership campaign that she

wanted to see more private members bills. This bill also crosses over many

different ministries, making it appropriate for a private members bill, Letnick

said.

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New B.C. bill would help workers exposed to bodily fluids

By TRACY SHERLOCK, Vancouver Sun

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/bill+would+help+workers+exposed+bodily+fluids\

/4875846/story.html#ixzz1O9u5ONd3

People whose bodily fluids come into contact with emergency workers may be

forced to undergo blood tests for diseases like HIV and hepatitis if a private

members bill introduced in B.C. Tuesday passes.

The bill allows emergency workers and Good Samaritans to ask the courts to

compel a person to provide information through their doctor if they have a

communicable disease, said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country, who

introduced the bill.

Letnick said the bill is intended not only to physically help people exposed to

bodily fluids, but also to emotionally support their families.

“The mere fact of being spat on by someone in the eye with blood, or by rescuing

someone and during the rescue having their bodily fluids in contact with an open

wound, these kind of issues not only impact the victim, but also their impact

their families.” Letnick said. “Imagine if you think you might get a

communicable disease, what that does to a family.”

Letnick introduced the bill at the urging of local firefighters.

“The local firefighters came to see me and they said they had a real need for

this legislation. It’s been enacted in several other provinces, but not in

B.C.,” Letnick said.

The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. organization supports the bill, said

Strohmaier, president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C.

“It’s certainly a significant health and safety issue for paramedics and their

families and we support any bill that provides some assurance that if we take

somebody into the hospital and we have been exposed to their bodily fluids, that

we have the right to determine whether we have to take precautions.

“It can be life changing for an emergency service worker if they come into

contact with those illnesses.”

Medications can be given to mitigate risks from these diseases, and the sooner

they’re given the better, Letnick said.

“What they’re left with right now is making the assumption that they’ve got

something. It’s their choice, but usually they take a concoction of medical

drugs that have side effects and potentially they’re doing it for nothing,”

Letnick said.

Letnick said the bill needs to be cleared by the Speaker of the House first, and

likely won’t be voted on until the fall.

“My plan right now is to go around B.C. and get some stories,” Letnick said. “My

job now is to go to communities around the province and identify the need for

the bill by talking to paramedics and police officers and others to find out how

they were impacted by not having this bill.”

Letnick, who is a member of the Liberal caucus, said he decided to introduce the

bill after Premier Christy said during her leadership campaign that she

wanted to see more private members bills. This bill also crosses over many

different ministries, making it appropriate for a private members bill, Letnick

said.

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New B.C. bill would help workers exposed to bodily fluids

By TRACY SHERLOCK, Vancouver Sun

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/bill+would+help+workers+exposed+bodily+fluids\

/4875846/story.html#ixzz1O9u5ONd3

People whose bodily fluids come into contact with emergency workers may be

forced to undergo blood tests for diseases like HIV and hepatitis if a private

members bill introduced in B.C. Tuesday passes.

The bill allows emergency workers and Good Samaritans to ask the courts to

compel a person to provide information through their doctor if they have a

communicable disease, said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country, who

introduced the bill.

Letnick said the bill is intended not only to physically help people exposed to

bodily fluids, but also to emotionally support their families.

“The mere fact of being spat on by someone in the eye with blood, or by rescuing

someone and during the rescue having their bodily fluids in contact with an open

wound, these kind of issues not only impact the victim, but also their impact

their families.” Letnick said. “Imagine if you think you might get a

communicable disease, what that does to a family.”

Letnick introduced the bill at the urging of local firefighters.

“The local firefighters came to see me and they said they had a real need for

this legislation. It’s been enacted in several other provinces, but not in

B.C.,” Letnick said.

The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. organization supports the bill, said

Strohmaier, president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C.

“It’s certainly a significant health and safety issue for paramedics and their

families and we support any bill that provides some assurance that if we take

somebody into the hospital and we have been exposed to their bodily fluids, that

we have the right to determine whether we have to take precautions.

“It can be life changing for an emergency service worker if they come into

contact with those illnesses.”

Medications can be given to mitigate risks from these diseases, and the sooner

they’re given the better, Letnick said.

“What they’re left with right now is making the assumption that they’ve got

something. It’s their choice, but usually they take a concoction of medical

drugs that have side effects and potentially they’re doing it for nothing,”

Letnick said.

Letnick said the bill needs to be cleared by the Speaker of the House first, and

likely won’t be voted on until the fall.

“My plan right now is to go around B.C. and get some stories,” Letnick said. “My

job now is to go to communities around the province and identify the need for

the bill by talking to paramedics and police officers and others to find out how

they were impacted by not having this bill.”

Letnick, who is a member of the Liberal caucus, said he decided to introduce the

bill after Premier Christy said during her leadership campaign that she

wanted to see more private members bills. This bill also crosses over many

different ministries, making it appropriate for a private members bill, Letnick

said.

tsherlock@...

Read more:

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[Guest guest]

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/bill+would+help+workers+exposed+bodily+fluids\

/4875846/story.html

New B.C. bill would help workers exposed to bodily fluids

By TRACY SHERLOCK, Vancouver Sun

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/bill+would+help+workers+exposed+bodily+fluids\

/4875846/story.html#ixzz1O9u5ONd3

People whose bodily fluids come into contact with emergency workers may be

forced to undergo blood tests for diseases like HIV and hepatitis if a private

members bill introduced in B.C. Tuesday passes.

The bill allows emergency workers and Good Samaritans to ask the courts to

compel a person to provide information through their doctor if they have a

communicable disease, said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country, who

introduced the bill.

Letnick said the bill is intended not only to physically help people exposed to

bodily fluids, but also to emotionally support their families.

“The mere fact of being spat on by someone in the eye with blood, or by rescuing

someone and during the rescue having their bodily fluids in contact with an open

wound, these kind of issues not only impact the victim, but also their impact

their families.” Letnick said. “Imagine if you think you might get a

communicable disease, what that does to a family.”

Letnick introduced the bill at the urging of local firefighters.

“The local firefighters came to see me and they said they had a real need for

this legislation. It’s been enacted in several other provinces, but not in

B.C.,” Letnick said.

The Ambulance Paramedics of B.C. organization supports the bill, said

Strohmaier, president of the Ambulance Paramedics of B.C.

“It’s certainly a significant health and safety issue for paramedics and their

families and we support any bill that provides some assurance that if we take

somebody into the hospital and we have been exposed to their bodily fluids, that

we have the right to determine whether we have to take precautions.

“It can be life changing for an emergency service worker if they come into

contact with those illnesses.”

Medications can be given to mitigate risks from these diseases, and the sooner

they’re given the better, Letnick said.

“What they’re left with right now is making the assumption that they’ve got

something. It’s their choice, but usually they take a concoction of medical

drugs that have side effects and potentially they’re doing it for nothing,”

Letnick said.

Letnick said the bill needs to be cleared by the Speaker of the House first, and

likely won’t be voted on until the fall.

“My plan right now is to go around B.C. and get some stories,” Letnick said. “My

job now is to go to communities around the province and identify the need for

the bill by talking to paramedics and police officers and others to find out how

they were impacted by not having this bill.”

Letnick, who is a member of the Liberal caucus, said he decided to introduce the

bill after Premier Christy said during her leadership campaign that she

wanted to see more private members bills. This bill also crosses over many

different ministries, making it appropriate for a private members bill, Letnick

said.

tsherlock@...

Read more:

http://www.vancouversun.com/health/bill+would+help+workers+exposed+bodily+fluids\

/4875846/story.html#ixzz1O9uLS5mF