Patient Care Assessment Process Set to Begin

In the coming weeks, BCNU members working under the 2019-2022 Nurses' Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial collective agreement will begin participating in a standardized enhanced data collection process as per the terms of Article 60, which requires health authorities (HA) and Providence Health Care (PHC) to implement a direct patient care staffing assessment tool.

Over the last year, individual HA/PHC leadership and nurses, along with BCNU staff and elected representatives, have been working collaboratively on implementation plans for local-level patient care assessment processes and tools. This work was not complete when the COVID-19 outbreak and public health crisis began to impact the province and was paused prior to the April 1, 2020 implementation of the working short premium (Article 28.04).

Despite the pause, conversations between BCNU and HEABC have continued around the development of the process and the individual tools.  Over the last week, the working group has made significant progress to develop a standardized approach following concerns raised by BCNU about provincial health employers' unilateral attempts to implement the patient care assessment process locally.

The working group is also considering ways to incorporate Level 4 and 5 nurses, as well as those members working in affiliate sites.

Rapid progress is being made. The enhanced data collection process will begin shortly. Members of the working group are committed to providing open and transparent communication as the work evolves.

In the interim, and in the absence of an agreed-to assessment process, employers will continue to honour the terms of Article 28.04 of the NBA collective agreement.

If you have questions about the implementation of Article 60, please contact your worksite steward, or reach out to your BCNU regional chair (contact information available on the BCNU Member Portal).