update magazine October 2012 Special Edition
Key Agreements Reached on Community Health Nursing
The Proposed Provincial Collective Agreement contains numerous improvements to address many of the unique challenges facing community nurses Breakthrough achieved on vacation backfill for community nurses Community nurses report that failure to provide backfill while they are on vacation is a serious workload concern. The Nurses’ Bargaining Association has finally broken through the barrier to providing this relief. Under the proposed agreement “community nurses will be replaced for at least two weeks of vacation each year and the Employer will make all reasonable efforts to replace those vacation leaves using regular relief/float positions.” This provision comes into effect January 1, 2013. Improved guidelines for safe use of personal vehicle The existing collective agreement language related to safety equipment, mileage and usage compensation has been expanded to tackle the difficult question of nurses who are faced with transporting patients and clients in their personal vehicle. This practice not only puts nurses’ safety at risk, it can also create difficult circumstances if bodily fluids contaminate their vehicles. The NBA presented graphic examples of this problem and the employer and the union have now agreed “to jointly develop guidelines regarding the safe transport of patients/clients. Included will be guidelines related to risk and patient and nurse safety.”
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The mileage compensation will increase to 52 cents (up from 50 cents) per kilometre on November 1, 2012. This applies in both Article 29.06 (Call-Back Travel Allowance) and Article 57.02. Peoplework not Paperwork: commitment to review electronic tools During negotiations, a group of community nurses presented information about the burden of paperwork and electronic data collection systems that reduced the amount of time they can spend with their clients. After hearing these heart-felt stories, the Ministry of Health has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to review assessment systems and gauge their effect on community health nursing. Representatives from the NBA, health employers and the Ministry of Health will form a Steering Committee, and their “shared objective is an improved assessment system and increased opportunities... for direct interaction with clients and their families.” Community-based nurses at the point of care and their managers will be consulted as well as others identified by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will report to an associate deputy minister no later than January 15, 2014, “with recommendations for improving the current assessment systems, and reflecting the consultation, unless another date is agreed to by the Steering Committee.” The Ministry of Health will then implement recommendations that it “determines will be most effectively serve the needs of clients and their families.” Special Wage Rate for Long Term Care Case Managers removed, but nurses “green circled” Since an arbitration award in 1999, nurses working as Long Term Care Case Managers were paid at a special rate assigned to their classification as Level 1.5. Effective 30 days after the ratification of the proposed Collective Agreement, this 1.5 wage rate of pay will end. However, nurses currently paid at this rate (and any hired before the effective date) will be “green circled.” This means they will continue to be paid at their current wage and will receive any future wage increases. The special rate for Pine Free Clinic Nurses will remain the same. update
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