TRAINING DAY BCNU stewards met at the union’s Burnaby office on October 31 for a PRP foundations course. To enhance common understanding of the professional responsibility process, both BCNU and health employers have agreed to deliver PRP education based on an agreed upon curriculum.
the group’s secretary. “She took very specific notes on what transpired, kept everything transparent for us and we owe her a huge amount of gratitude.” PACU nurse Breanna Snow agrees. “I thought when we first embarked on this, it would take a year. I never anticipated it being this lengthy a process. Kathy was the driving force that kept us together.” Tim Fitzimmons was working as BCNU’s fulltime steward at KGH when the PACU nurses began their efforts. He says that patients will be the primary beneficiaries. “After years of effort, patient care will benefit from safer staffing levels and adequate support for existing and new staff.” Bernardin notes that this PRP shows how improvements can be made if nurses stick together and work toward a goal. “This was successful because of our team,” she says. “We have much work to do on maintaining our com-
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petencies, but at least it has been identified and work will continue,” she adds. “Morale has also improved just by having our needs identified and reaching success through this long process.” “Every professional responsibility process will have multiple varying factors that will impact the route to ensuring safe patient care,” says Croft. “The PACU nurse team who pushed for these changes has to be commended for their incredible determination to achieve results.” Porritt says she was kept on track by working with a dedicated and passionate group of individuals whose goals were to provide optimum patient care and to improve their working environment. “If there had been only one individual championing this file, it would have been abandoned long before three years had elapsed,” she says. “I think that the recurring theme for any PRP is the need for patience and persistence.” •
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ADVOCATES If you need help, please contact your current Professional Responsibility Advocates listed below. Central Vancouver Lesley Edora lesleyedora@bcnu.org
RIVA Romeo de Leon romeodeleon@bcnu.org
Coastal Mountain Genevieve Dallimore genevievedallimore@bcnu.org
Shaughnessy Heights Manpreet Mann manpreetmann@bcnu.org
East Kootenay vacant TBD
Simon Fraser Roy Hansen rhansen@bcnu.org
Fraser Valley Ravi Kochar ravikochar@bcnu.org
South Fraser Valley Edmundo David edmundodavid@bcnu.org
North East Barbara Erickson
South Islands Daphne Wass
barbaraerickson@bcnu.org
daphnewass@bcnu.org
North West Prisicilla de Medeiros priscillademedeiros@bcnu.org
Thompson North Okanagan Myrna Nichols myrnanichols@bcnu.org
Okanagan Similkameen Heather Picklyk heatherpicklyk@bcnu.org
Vancouver Metro Luba Veverytsa lyubovveverytsa@bcnu.org
Pacific Rim Sharon Fulton sharonfulton@bcnu.org
West Kootenay Glenna Lynch glennalynch@bcnu.org
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