ONTARIO - Hogarth Riverview Manor management's failure to staff has resulted in a severe lack of registered nurses (RNs), risking the care and safety of its vulnerable residents and violating legislated RN staffing levels.
"This is an unsafe, unacceptable situation for our residents," says Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA) President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "It is outrageous that this facility, which boasts of providing "high-quality, client-centered care," is doing anything but."
The St. Joseph's Care Group-owned facility expanded and accepted its first new resident a few weeks ago. The facility has had months to plan to ensure there is a full staff complement so that our residents can safely transition into their new home. But as Haslam-Stroud notes, "there are more residents, but fewer RNs and just one registered nurse responsible for the entire facility overnight. In addition, admissions are becoming problematic, as there aren't an adequate number of RNs on site to properly assess and admit the residents."
ONA has filed a grievance with the employer, and made a formal complaint to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care regarding the violation of Ministry standards that require a registered nurse on site at all times. ONA notes that there have been multiple occasions when there were no registered nurses on site.
"Having a shiny new building and a website promoting its 'patient-centered care' doesn't change the reality of the dangerously low RN staffing levels and failure to follow standards," says Haslam-Stroud. "ONA is speaking out against the abhorring situation at Hogarth Riverview Manor for the safety of residents, and we expect the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to take immediate steps to force this facility to comply."
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.
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Source: http://www.ona.org/news_details/hogarth_20160120.html#.Vp-uziVEq6w.twitter
Released: January 20, 2016
