UNA presents to Health Services Board
Nurses concerned about safety of over-capacity beds
Occupational Health and Safety issue from the Rockyview Hospital in Calgary
“This is very serious,” was the comment from both Alberta Health Service Board chair Ken Hughes and from new CEO Stephen Duckett, following United Nurses of Alberta presentation at the Alberta Health Services Board meeting in Red Deer on March 25th. Nurses brought the Board significant safety concerns with over-capacity beds at the Rockyview Hospital in Calgary.
Nurses at the Rockyview first raised Occupational Health and Safety issues about the extra beds in May of 2008. After meetings all the way to the top with Dr. Chris Eagle and Executive Operating Officer, Paddy Meade, nothing was being done to eliminate the hazards from the over-crowding in rooms and hallways. So the Rockyview nurses took their concerns to the new province-wide Board meeting.
Local 121 Vice President Cynthia Perkins told the new Board members directly about nurses worries about safely evacuating patients, and about the need for space in rooms to provide care.
UNA’s Director of Labour Relations David Harrigan provided most of the information to the Board and explained “we only come here if it’s absolutely vital to our members.” He explained to Stephen Duckett that it was not intentional that UNA was raising this difficult issue at his first Board meeting and only his third day on the job.
Board member Catherine Roozen asked if the safety concerns were only at the Rockyview. David Harrigan explained that while the specific complaint only dealt with conditions at the Rockyview, UNA had heard from nurses in many of the larger hospitals about over-capacity safety concerns. UNA President Heather Smith also noted that many hospitals in smaller communities now also have over-crowding problems, particularly with the emphasis on transferring patients out of the urban hospitals. As a result many rural hospitals are also now running over-capacity.
Stephen Duckett asked if UNA representatives would be willing to accompany him on a tour of the facility the following week. He also thanked UNA, with a small smile, for “helping me with my introduction to Alberta.” Duckett undertook to provide a response about the safety concerns to UNA within fourteen days of the Board meeting, as is required by UNA's Collective Agreement. |
