PATIENT NEEDS STAFFING. General Principles The Facilities shall have a staffing system based on assessment of patient needs in conformance with the accreditation requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals and Title 22 of the California Administrative Code. The Facilities agree to conform its system to any future changes adopted by either body during the term of the contract. The patient classification system shall be a method of determining staffing requirements for each patient, each unit and each shift as appropriate, based on physical observation and assessment of each patient by the RN who is responsible for the patient. The system will be adhered to in all areas to which it is applicable, and for patient care areas such as outpatient surgery, equivalent or appropriate systems for assessing staffing needs will be maintained. In the event the scheduled staffing is insufficient to meet the specific staffing ratios called for by the system, the Facilities will make every reasonable effort to procure additional personnel. Should persistent shortages be identified, the Facilities will take the necessary steps to ensure safe patient care. The staffing system with full information summarizing or explaining the system will be located in the appropriate manual on every nursing unit, and a copy will be provided to the Professional Performance Committee, upon request. As a general practice, newly hired Nurses will not be counted in the regular staffing complement during orientation, or portions thereof as designated in advance by the Facilities; provided, however, that the Facilities shall determine the duration and scope of orientation to be given, based upon the Nurse’s prior experience and/or training. Exceptions to this general practice may occur, provided that such exceptions shall not be unreasonably made. Within ninety (90) days of ratification of this Agreement, the Facilities shall, upon request, make available for review by CNA its orientation practices relative to newly hired Nurses, if those practices have changed since the Facilities last submission and subsequently if the Facilities change these practices.
PATIENT NEEDS STAFFING. 30.2.1 The Hospitals shall each have a staffing system that is in compliance with Title 22 of the California Administrative Code and the requirements of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
30.2.2 The Hospitals shall have policies and procedures which are based on current standards of nursing practice (as determined by the Nursing Practice Act (Title 16) and the regulations promulgated thereunder).
30.2.3 In the event of a dispute regarding a Hospital’s compliance with the foregoing Sections 30.2.1 and 30.2.2, the RN who has a concern should raise the issue with his/her manager. The manager or designee shall respond to the RN within ten (10) days from the date the issue was raised. If the RN is not satisfied with the manager’s or designee’s response, the RN may submit the concern to the Staffing Issues Committee, which will meet within 21 days of referral of the dispute to discuss and attempt to resolve the dispute. In addition, the CNA Labor Representative and the Director of Human Resources may serve as resources to the Committee. The Staffing Issues Committee will resolve disputes within 60 days of referral and will report the resolution in writing to the CNO for implementation within the time agreed upon by the Committee.
PATIENT NEEDS STAFFING. A. PPH shall implement a patient classification system as defined in Title 22 § 70053.2 for determining nursing care needs of individual patients that reflects the assessment made by a Registered Nurse as specified at subsection 70215(a)(1) of patient requirements and provides for shift by shift staffing based on those requirements. PPH agrees to conform its staffing system to any future changes adopted by any applicable regulatory body during the term of this Agreement. The system developed by PPH shall include, but not be limited to the following elements:
1. Individual patient care requirements.
2. The patient care delivery system.
3. Generally accepted standards of nursing practice as well as elements reflective of the unique nature of PPH’s patient population.
B. A written staffing plan shall be developed by the administrator of nursing service or a designee, based on patient care needs determined by the patient classification system. The staffing plan shall be developed and implemented for each patient care unit and shall specify patient care requirements and the staffing levels for Registered Nurses and other licensed and unlicensed personnel.
C. In the event the scheduled staffing is insufficient to meet the specific staffing called for by the patient classification system, PPH will make a reasonable effort to procure additional personnel. Should persistent shortages be identified, PPH will take reasonable and practical steps to ensure safe patient care.
