Health minister Adrian Dix has appointed an investigator into claims B.C. nurses were playing racist games with blood alcohol levels of Indigenous patients. (CBC)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

critical care

Emergency room staff accused of playing racist games, guessing blood alcohol levels of patients

Jun 19, 2020 | 10:32 AM

NANAIMO — An investigator is now appointed to get to the bottom of a serious issue impacting the care provided at B.C. hospitals.

Health minister Adrian Dix appointed lawyer and advocate Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond as the investigator, starting Monday, June 22.

She’s tasked with looking into the “racist and abhorrent” issue of emergency room staff in B.C. allegedly playing guessing games with the blood alcohol levels of patients in the ER, specifically Indigenous patients.

Dix said these are recent claims heard from the health care community which came to his attention Thursday night.

“They’re serious allegations, they obviously need to be investigated so we can determine the extent of them.”

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It’s unclear which health authorities are implicated in the behaviour.

Dix said the investigation would need to conclude before it’s revealed which health authorities are involved.

Recommendations given by Turpel-Lafond will be made public when her investigation concludes.

“It would be my hope, but I say this with all caution, that this will be a moment where we can continue and advance the work we’re doing together on reconciliation. But it’s also a moment (where) we have to recognize the situation that exists,” Dix said.

Recommendations from the Metis Nation BC and the BC Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres were published shortly after Dix’s press conference.

They included a public inquiry into specific incidents of racism against Indigenous patients in B.C. hospitals and a commitment to structural and systemic changes to dismantle the racism seen in hospital hallways.

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