Common use of STAFFING AND WORKLOAD Clause in Contracts

STAFFING AND WORKLOAD. The Employer recognizes the responsibility of nurses under the Nurse Practice Act and will promote working conditions that enable nurses to meet their responsibilities under the Act. The Employer will continue its commitment to meet core staffing as agreed to in unit staffing plans, which are posted on the units and in the staffing office. The parties recognize that these staffing plans, once approved by the Nurse Staffing and Resource Committee (NSRC), are changed only (1) by the NSRC, based upon recommendations of the appropriate unit-based committee, or (2) if the staffing plan is not adopted by the hospital and the chief executive officer provides a written explanation of the reasons for rejecting the staffing plan to the NSRC. Both parties will work collaboratively to identify new and innovative approaches to staffing which enhance patient safety, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, staff satisfaction, promotion of nursing research and optimized financial performance. At a minimum, each unit-based committee shall report semiannually the aforementioned outcomes to the NSRC. Demonstration projects advancing innovative approaches to staffing shall report no less than quarterly to the NSRC utilizing the criteria cited in this Section. Such commitment is in recognition of the mutual desire of the parties to maintain staffing consistent with quality patient care as well as relieve the additional burdens placed on staff by under staffing. To facilitate this responsibility, the parties agree to the following process. Immediate staffing shortage: The parties recognize that adherence to the staffing plan can be impacted by the availability of staff, ED admissions, and unexpected events. In the event of such circumstance, the charge nurse shall inform the manager (or designee, or CAR) in order to attempt to rectify the situation and implement all reasonable alternatives to bring the work area into adherence of the staffing plan as soon as possible, including redistribution of appropriate staff or patients, soliciting volunteers for extra shifts, use of per diem staff, agency and overtime, nurse managers and supervisors. Continued workload/staffing problems: Whenever employees in a given unit on any shift believe there is a bona fide workload staffing problem, they will notify the supervisor and Union delegate and provide written statement of their concern to try to correct the problem for that shift. If the complaint is found to be valid, the supervisor will take steps to correct it. As appropriate, the steps will include use of regular float pool nurses; use of part-time and per diem nurses; use of nurses who have volunteered to work overtime; and only as a last resort use of agency nurses. If there is no mutually satisfactory resolution to the staffing/workload problem, the employee will submit her/his documentation to the Unit Based Committee. If the staffing/workload complaints occur with regularity on a particular unit and shift, the documentation on the short staffing problem will be presented to the Nursing Staffing & Resource Committee for resolution. If the complaints are not resolved to the satisfaction of staff at the NSRC, then the Senior Vice President of Human Resources shall meet with the affected nursing staff upon their request to attempt a resolution. Nurses who raise Nursing Practice issues shall be free from restraint, interference, discrimination or reprisal.

STAFFING AND WORKLOAD. (a) The parties agree that it is mutually beneficial to communicate effectively around staffing levels and workload in a regular manner through the JLMC process, both the primary JLMC and the Hub/Resource/Department JLMC. (b) When a Guild staff member leaves a position, the parties will discuss through the primary JLMC process, as a standing agenda item, the status of management’s consideration and analysis around that position and the most current status of whether and when it will be posted and filled and how the continuing work of that position will be performed in both the short and long term. The Guild and management will discuss where workload issues exist, when workload is burdensome or unworkable, and other issues relevant to workload as it relates to meeting the priorities of the Federation. The parties may discuss and make recommendations on a transition plan when a staff member departs. The Guild may identify situations in which they believe a workload issue is not being addressed by the supervisor or manager. The parties may also discuss whether job descriptions require review after workload allocation discussions. This information from the Guild will be shared with management’s Personnel Committee, and the primary JLMC may make joint recommendations to the Personnel Committee. In the event primary JLMC meetings are not occurring with regularity, relevant requested information will be shared in writing. (c) The Employer recognizes the responsibility importance of nurses seniority and desirability of filling vacancies by promotion or transfer and, accordingly, will give present employees within the unit first opportunity to try out for a vacancy in a different position, subject to the prior operation of the recall list under the Nurse Practice Act and will promote working conditions that enable nurses to meet their responsibilities under the Act. The Employer will continue its commitment to meet core staffing as agreed to in unit staffing plans, which are posted on the units and in the staffing office. The parties recognize that these staffing plans, once approved by the Nurse Staffing and Resource Committee Article VI (NSRCLayoff), Section 5. 2. For the purpose of this Article, the term “vacancy” means an existing or newly created position that management has determined will be posted with the intent to fill. These management decisions are changed only (1) by made on a rolling basis based on capacity and resources, including factors such as level of program work, priorities, workload, reorganizations, and uncertainty of future funding. Within 5 working days after a final decision has been made regarding a position, the NSRC, based upon recommendations of Employer either will post the appropriate unit-based committee, or (2) if the staffing plan is not adopted by the hospital and the chief executive officer provides a written explanation of the reasons for rejecting the staffing plan position to the NSRC. Both parties will work collaboratively to identify new and innovative approaches to staffing which enhance patient safety, clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, staff satisfaction, promotion of nursing research and optimized financial performance. At a minimum, each unit-based committee shall report semiannually the aforementioned outcomes to the NSRC. Demonstration projects advancing innovative approaches to staffing shall report no less than quarterly to the NSRC utilizing the criteria cited in this Section. Such commitment is in recognition of the mutual desire of the parties to maintain staffing be filled consistent with quality patient care as well as relieve the additional burdens placed on staff by under staffing. To facilitate provisions of this responsibility, the parties agree to the following process. Immediate staffing shortage: The parties recognize that adherence to the staffing plan can be impacted by the availability of staff, ED admissions, and unexpected events. In the event of such circumstance, the charge nurse shall inform the manager (Article or designee, or CAR) in order to attempt to rectify the situation and implement all reasonable alternatives to bring the work area into adherence of the staffing plan as soon as possible, including redistribution of appropriate staff or patients, soliciting volunteers for extra shifts, use of per diem staff, agency and overtime, nurse managers and supervisors. Continued workload/staffing problems: Whenever employees in a given unit on any shift believe there is a bona fide workload staffing problem, they will notify the supervisor and Union delegate and provide written statement Guild of their concern to try to correct the problem for that shift. If the complaint is found to be valid, the supervisor will take steps to correct it. As appropriate, the steps will include use of regular float pool nurses; use of part-time and per diem nurses; use of nurses who have volunteered to work overtime; and only Employer’s intentions as a last resort use of agency nurses. If there is no mutually satisfactory resolution to the staffing/workload problemfilling, leaving vacant, abolishment, or reclassification of the employee vacant position, in which event the Employer will submit her/his documentation to the Unit Based Committee. If the staffing/workload complaints occur with regularity on a particular unit and shift, the documentation on the short staffing problem will be presented to the Nursing Staffing & Resource Committee for resolution. If the complaints are not resolved to the satisfaction of staff at the NSRC, then the Senior Vice President of Human Resources shall meet with the affected nursing staff upon their Guild on request to attempt a resolution. Nurses who raise Nursing Practice issues shall be free from restraint, interference, discrimination or reprisaldiscuss.