Alberta Nurses Demand Hospital Weapon Scanners

0:00Nurses in Alberta are pushing hard for weapons scanners at busy city hospitals after a brutal staving shook up Edmonton's Royal Alexandra Hospital. Last week, a 42-year-old man got life-threatening injuries in the emergency room on April 3rd around 6.15 pm. Police on site broke up the fight. Between two guys, one arm with three eyes weapons and slapped him with assault charges plus probation violations. The United Nurses of Alberta President Heather Smith fired off a letter slamming health minister Matt Jones for downplaying the danger. She's been calling for scanners and funded security officers since 2023, pointing out hospitals and other provinces already have this. Tech, meanwhile, the government says they've closed bids for scanners at Royal Alexandra and are rushing to install them while bumping up security staff. And there, nurses are fed up with a union survey last year showing four in 10 facing punches or hits in the past 12 months.

1:00Smith ties the violence straight to packed emergency rooms from overcrowding where frustrated families wait hours and snap. No staff, patients or visitors got hurt in the stabbing thanks to quick police action and on-duty protective officers. Other spots like Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia are ahead. Including cops, metal detectors, even AI scanners after nurses there called spots. Too risky to work. Alberta's minister admits these attacks, rattle everyone, and vows no one should feel unsafe in hospitals. Alberta nurses aren't letting up, demanding the province own the capacity crisis and fund real fixes to keep ER safe for good. That's the story for today. Vancouver News Today, Driven by AI