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Locals, Members, and SUN Provincial are a formidable team for professional practice, workload, and staffing concerns using the strength of our SUN/SAHO collective agreement articles and processes. The professional practice articles support members' obligations to provide safe, competent, high-quality, and appropriate care to meet the needs of their patients, clients, and/or residents within healthy, quality, work environments.

Members must be knowledgeable and involved to address their professional practice concerns at the Local level. This can mean completing Work Situation Reports (WSRs) and participating in the Joint Nursing Advisory Committee (NAC) processes.

Local and Member activation has led to improvements in professional practice as a direct result of completed WSRs, Joint NAC collaborative problem-solving, and, where needed, proceeding to the Board of the Employer or Independent Assessment Committee Hearing.

The 2024 SUNstoppable Action & Professional Practice Escalations report highlighted improvements to the registered nurse baseline, charge nurse assignment, registered nurse clinical support positions, relief lines, additional Nurse Practitioner position, and support staff improvements.

This is in addition to the completed Independent Assessment Committee Hearings that occurred in 2024 – and significant registered nurse improvements obtained through binding recommendations highlighted in the respective SUNstoppable Spotlights.

What Members Need to Know about WSR/NAC:

• Use low-level resolution and consult with your colleagues, including your Manager/designate, to find solutions in real-time to professional practice, workload and staffing concerns.

• Complete WSRs for ANY professional practice, workload, and/or staffing issue not resolved in real-time with your Manager/designate.

• Review SUN Provincial Professional Practice Resources to enhance your knowledge and action:

  • WSR/NAC Learning Modules & Resources

  • Professional Practice & Workload Examples (REVISED)

  • Member Concerns: Identifying the Issues (NEW)

  • Work Situation Reports:  Just the Facts

  • Understanding Professional Practice Escalation

  • Frequently Asked Questions

  • Nursing Advisory Committee Resources (Leadership)

• Review your collective agreement professional practice and nursing advisory processes (SUN/SAHO Articles 56 - 58 and Appendices A - F)  

  • If your collective agreement does not include these articles, please contact your Local President and Nurse Practice Officer (NPO) for assistance.

Whom to Contact:

Local President/NAC Chairperson: Your Local President and NAC Chairperson are experts on your collective agreement and professional practice work environment.

Nurse Practice Officer: Your NPO at SUN Provincial is your professional practice expert assigned to Locals for support, advice, and assistance.

Regulatory Body: Your regulatory body (CRNS/CRPNS) is the regulatory expert mandated to protect the public. They can help interpret and apply minimum requirements and best practices in registered nursing practice.

Canadian Nurses Protective Society: Your regulatory body provides you with professional liability insurance through the Canadian Nurses Protective Society. You can obtain confidential legal advice, review their publications on topics impacting professional practice, and complete continuing education through their monthly webinars.

Nurse Practice Officer servicing assignments can be found on the SUN website, or you can contact one of the SUN Provincial offices at: