Common use of – PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PATIENT CARE, WORKLOADS Clause in Contracts

– PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PATIENT CARE, WORKLOADS. STAFFING (The following clause is applicable to Registered Practical Nurses only) (a) The parties agree that optimal patient care is, and safe working conditions are, enhanced if concerns relating to professional responsibility, patient care, workloads and staffing issues are resolved in a timely and effective manner with communications between the parties being: i) professional; ii) courteous; iii) collegial; iv) respectful; and v) focused on resolving the issue, not on the individuals. (b) Employees are encouraged to raise their concerns with their immediate supervisor within forty-eight (48) hours. (c) Upon receipt of a response from the supervisor within five (5) working days, if the employee or group of employees in (b) above are not satisfied, the employee or group of employees may, within forty-eight (48) hours, submit their concerns in writing to the Chief Nursing Officer. A meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days of a request from the employee or group of employees, who may be accompanied to this meeting by a Union representative. The Chief Nursing Officer will respond in writing to the employee, or group of employees, with a copy to the Union if applicable, within fifteen (15) days. (d) Upon receipt of a written response from the Chief Nursing Officer, if the employee or group of employees in (c) above are not satisfied, the employee or group of employees, who may be accompanied by their Union Representative, may, within forty-eight (48) hours, request a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer (or her/his designate) and such meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days. The Chief Executive Officer (or her/his designate) will respond in writing to the employee, or group of employees, within fifteen (15) days of the meeting, with a copy to the Union if applicable. (e) It is agreed and understood that an employee or group of employees may in exceptional and urgent cases request an immediate meeting with the Chief Nursing Officer who will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the request. The timelines provided for in (d) above will apply failing resolution at this meeting. (f) Only the timelines set out above are subject to Article 7 – Grievance and Arbitration Process.

– PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PATIENT CARE, WORKLOADS. STAFFING (The following clause is applicable to Registered Practical Nurses only)STAFFING (a) The parties agree that optimal patient care is, and safe working conditions are, enhanced if concerns relating to professional responsibility, patient care, workloads and staffing issues are resolved in a timely and effective manner with communications between the parties being: (i) professional; (ii) courteous; (iii) collegial; (iv) respectful; and (v) focused on resolving the issue, not on the individuals. (b) Employees In the event that the Hospital assigns a number of patients or a workload to an individual Regulated Health Professional (RHP) or group of RHPs such that they have cause to believe that they are encouraged being asked to raise their concerns perform more work than is consistent with proper patient care, they shall: i. At the time the workload issue occurs, discuss the issue within the unit/program to develop strategies to meet patient care needs using current resources. ii. If necessary, using established lines of communication as identified by the hospital, seek immediate assistance from an individual(s) (who could be within the bargaining unit) who has responsibility for timely resolution of workload issues. iii. Failing resolution of the workload issue at the time of occurrence or if the issue is ongoing the RHP(s) will discuss the issue with their immediate supervisor within forty-eight (48) hours.Manager or (c) Upon receipt of a response from the supervisor within five (5) working days, if the employee or group of employees in (b) above are not satisfied, the employee or group of employees may, within forty-eight (48) hours, submit their concerns in writing a workload complaint form (attached at appendix A) to the Chief Nursing OfficerOfficer or equivalent in the case of other RHPs, with a copy to the Union. A meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days of a request from the employee or group of employees, who may be accompanied to this meeting by a Union representative. The Chief Nursing Officer or equivalent, will respond in writing to the employee, or group of employees, with a copy to the Union if applicable, within fifteen (15) days. (d) Upon receipt of a written response from the Chief Nursing OfficerOfficer or equivalent, if the employee or group of employees in (c) above are not satisfied, the employee or group of employees, who may be accompanied by their Union Representative, may, within forty-forty- eight (48) hours, request a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer (or her/his designate) and such meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days. The Chief Executive Officer (or her/his designate) will respond in writing to the employee, or group of employees, within fifteen (15) days of the meeting, with a copy to the Union if applicable. (e) It is agreed and understood that an employee or group of employees may in exceptional and urgent cases request an immediate meeting with the Chief Nursing Officer who will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the request. The timelines provided for in (d) above will apply failing resolution at this meeting. (f) Only the timelines set out above are subject to Article 7 – Grievance and Arbitration Process.fifteen

– PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY, PATIENT CARE, WORKLOADS. STAFFING (The following clause is applicable to Registered Practical Nurses only)STAFFING (a) The parties agree that optimal patient care is, and safe working conditions are, enhanced if concerns relating to professional responsibility, patient care, workloads and staffing issues are resolved in a timely and effective manner with communications between the parties being: (i) professional; (ii) courteous; (iii) collegial; (iv) respectful; and (v) focused on resolving the issue, not on the individuals. (b) Employees In the event that the Hospital assigns a number of patients or a workload to an individual Regulated Health Professional (RHP) or group of RHPs such that they have cause to believe that they are encouraged being asked to raise their concerns perform more work than is consistent with proper patient care, they shall: i. At the time the workload issue occurs, discuss the issue within the unit/program to develop strategies to meet patient care needs using current resources. ii. If necessary, using established lines of communication as identified by the hospital, seek immediate assistance from an individual(s) (who could be within the bargaining unit) who has responsibility for timely resolution of workload issues. iii. Failing resolution of the workload issue at the time of occurrence or if the issue is ongoing the RHP(s) will discuss the issue with their immediate supervisor Manager or designate on the next day that the Manager (or designate) and the RHP are both working or within forty-eight five (485) hourscalendar days whichever is sooner. (c) Upon receipt of a response from the supervisor within five (5) working days, if the employee or group of employees in (b) above are not satisfied, the employee or group of employees may, within forty-eight (48) hours, submit their concerns in writing a workload complaint form (attached at appendix B) to the Chief Nursing OfficerOfficer or equivalent in the case of other RHPs, with a copy to the Union. A meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days of a request from the employee or group of employees, who may be accompanied to this meeting by a Union representative. The Chief Nursing Officer or equivalent will respond in writing to the employee, or group of employees, with a copy to the Union if applicable, within fifteen (15) days. (d) Upon receipt of a written response from the Chief Nursing OfficerOfficer or equivalent, if the employee or group of employees in (c) above are not satisfied, the employee or group of employees, who may be accompanied by their Union Representative, may, within forty-forty- eight (48) hours, request a meeting with the Chief Executive Officer (or her/his designate) and such meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days. The Chief Executive Officer (or her/his designate) will respond in writing to the employee, or group of employees, within fifteen (15) days of the meeting, with a copy to the Union if applicable. (e) It is agreed and understood that an employee or group of employees may in exceptional and urgent cases request an immediate meeting with the Chief Nursing Officer who will make every reasonable effort to accommodate the request. The timelines provided for in (d) above will apply failing resolution at this meeting. (f) Only the timelines set out above are subject to Article 7 – Grievance and Arbitration Process.fifteen