Nurse Staffing Report Finds RNs Are Unable to Provide Proper Patient Care at Rouge Valley Health System:

Independent Assessment Committee makes 50 recommendations to improve care

TORONTO, March 6, 2014 /CNW/ - The panel of nursing experts called to investigate registered nurse staffing levels and patient care  at Rouge Valley Health System's post-acute care unit has validated the Ontario Nurses' Association's concerns. The panel has found that RNs are unable to provide proper patient care under current conditions and the hospital's work environment does not support quality nursing practice.

The Independent Assessment Committee (IAC) was called in by the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) when ongoing efforts to address concerns with the employer failed. Following its investigation of the unit at a three-day hearing, the panel has now released a report with 50 recommendations that address issues related to leadership, the model of care delivery and associated staffing and clinical practice/unit processes to improve nursing workload and proper patient care.

"ONA is very happy to see that the expert panel validated our concerns and has made recommendations around hospital leadership and accountability," said ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "We hope to see Rouge Valley management follow through with the recommendations in a timely manner because our patients' care is far too important to ignore any longer. The changes the IAC is recommending will do much to improve patient health outcomes and the work lives of our registered nurses."

The IAC noted in its report that the hospital has cut 55 per cent of its RN positions and that the unit has "suffered significantly" from a low number of full-time, unit-based RNs, RPNs and other staff. It calls for an increase in the number of full-time RNs and other nurses to enable better coverage of the baseline schedule with full-time staff instead of relying on calling in an astounding number of agency staff.

The panel also recommended that Rouge Valley revise the model of care to better use the RN as leader of the care team, that the hospital clarify the role of RNs, RPNs and unregulated care professionals, that evidence is used to achieve a safe staffing model and practices and that the voice of front-line nurses be valued and respected to improve patient care and patient outcomes.

"The expert panel recognized that nurses should be trusted to use their professional judgement when caring for patients and deserve to have the appropriate staffing resources in place. We look forward to working collaboratively with Rouge Valley to implement the IAC's recommendations." said Haslam-Stroud.

ONA is the union representing 60,000 registered nurses and allied health professionals, as well as more than 14,000 nursing student affiliates providing care in hospitals, long-term care facilities, public health, the community, clinics and industry.

SOURCE: Ontario Nurses' Association

Ontario Nurses' Association

Sheree Bond   [phone] ext.2430; cell: [phone]; [email protected]
Melanie Levenson  [phone] ext. 2369; [email protected]

Visit us at: www.ona.org; Facebook.com/OntarioNurses; Twitter.com/OntarioNurses