SUNstoppable Spotlight

Registered Nurses Achieve Success through Independent Assessment Committee

SUN Local 68, Dr. F. H. Wigmore Regional Hospital Emergency Department RN staff, and SUN Provincial are thrilled to share that they have successfully escalated 18 WSRs describing patterns of unresolved workload and professional practice concerns using the SUN/SAHO collective agreement.

Concerns have been raised since 2020 without adequate solutions found by the Nursing Advisory Committee, Executive Oversight Committee, or the SHA Board of Directors. An Independent Assessment Committee (IAC) is the last resort within the collective agreement to address workload concerns.
The IAC Panel made up of three Registered Nurse experts unanimously confirmed the concerns brought forward and supported 100% of the recommendations proposed by SUN members. 

“The current staffing model is not sustainable and makes it increasingly difficult for the nurses in the department to meet the standards they are held accountable for and the policies of the employer. This has resulted in an exodus of senior staff” (IAC, 2022). 

The IAC Panel provided recommendations addressing:

  • Staffing
  • Staffing Workload Assessment
  • Emergency Department Orientation Program
  • Quality Improvement Opportunities

The IAC Panel provided an additional consideration for workflow and skill task alignment in the Emergency Department by other healthcare providers and support staff.

Binding recommendations have been confirmed between SHA Leadership and SUN. Work continues to interpret and implement the increased staffing and address workload, including:

  • Separate the Charge Nurse role from the Triage role, ensuring the Charge Nurse has no patient assignment.
  • Increase Emergency Department RN baseline staff by one RN permanent 12-hour shift seven days per week.
  • Continue with Emergency Department orientation plans as described in the SHA IAC submission.
  • Orientation shifts should be supernumerary and not be used for baseline staffing.
  • Ensure that Emergency Department orientation shifts are specific to the needs of RNs who have recently graduated from a nursing program and those who do not have experience in an Emergency Department unit.

SUN Local 68 and the Local Nursing Advisory Committee (NAC) will continue to work collaboratively with the employer to create a healthy work environment that is focused on safe, competent, high-quality, and appropriate registered nursing practice and healthcare services.   

To learn more about work situation reports and the nursing advisory process, you can review WSR/NAC Learning Modules & Resources and NAC Leadership on the SUN website.