Patient Care Assessment Process Now Includes More Members

BCNU has successfully grieved the exclusion of Level 2, 4 and 5 nurses from the Nurses’ Bargaining Association Patient Care Assessment Process (PCAP). An arbitration award has now been issued that outlines how Level 2 (LPN Supervisor), Level 4 and Level 5 RNs are eligible to participate in the PCAP and receive the Working Short Premium (WSP).;

Terms of the award:

• Depending on their role, Level 2, 4 and 5 nurses are eligible to complete the PCAP.
• Level 4 nurses who perform direct patient care as their position’s predominant and over-riding function will participate in the PCAP, just as Level 3 nurses do. These nurses are to submit a separate PCAP form based on their job's baseline and workload needs. A list of agreed positions is included below.
• Level 4 Patient Care Coordinators (PCCs) will receive the WSP when they perform direct patient care alongside the Level 1 and 3 nurses on a unit that continues to work short despite their support. They will receive the WSP whether reassigned to a unit by a manager or using their own discretion in the moment to determine when they are needed to provide direct patient care.
• PCCs who submit for the WSP must indicate the total time they were assisting in direct care while the unit was working short. Employers will provide specific information regarding payroll processes.
• Managers may reassign Educators and other Level 2, 4 and 5 nurses to perform direct patient care. These nurses will receive the WSP when a unit continues to work short despite their support. Their details should be included in the unit PCAP tool.
• Questions 2 and 3 on the PCAP form are now required to be completed.

Note: Employers were previously stipulating that a "4-hour minimum" was required for nurses to be eligible for the WSP. This is no longer applicable.

The issue of nurses’ workload concerns not being recognized was also discussed during the arbitration. Some units had not completed questions 2 and 3 if they answered yes to question 1 because one nursing classification was below the baseline. This was incorrect, and the award clarified that all questions must be completed on each PCAP tool. This change will help determine when other classifications in the unit are impacted by workload.

PCAP Tool Process Reminders

Questions 1–3 are to be completed on all PCAP forms and the end-of-shift questions are to be completed after each shift.

The PCAP is to be completed at the beginning and during the shift if circumstances change.

Please reach out to your local steward team if you have any questions.

Agreed Position List