Common use of Staffing Arrangements Clause in Contracts

Staffing Arrangements. (i) The Employer is committed to ensuring that staffing levels are appropriate, in order to ensure the delivery of high quality patient care and a safe working environment for nurses. It is acknowledged that existing flexibility in respect of staffing will be maintained. A practice of staffing based on collaboration between Nursing Administration and ▇▇▇▇/unit management will continue on a shift basis, taking into account both occupancy and patient acuity. (ii) Should any nurse in any one ▇▇▇▇ or unit feel the workloads are unreasonably heavy, on a regular basis, then they have a responsibility to discuss their concerns with their nurse manager. The nurse manager shall investigate any issue that is raised within 48 hours and provide a response to the issues. If the nurse manager is unable to resolve the workload issue or respond within this period, the issue is to be referred to the Director of Nursing. The employee may be represented by any nominated employee representative which may be a union representative. It is the intent of the parties that the issue be initially dealt with as close to the source as possible, with graduated steps for further discussion and resolution at higher authority levels where necessary. If the matter is not settled with a reasonable period of time, the employee (or their nominated employee representative) may utilise the dispute settlement procedure of this Agreement. (iii) In determining whether staffing levels are appropriate, factors that should be considered include (but not limited to) occupancy, patient acuity, the skill level of staff, the availability of support staff, patient movements, practice within comparative wards/units and professional nursing standards and conduct as determined by the appropriate regulatory authorities. (iv) On a shift by shift basis if an employee has a concern regarding patient clinical acuity and staffing this can be immediately escalated to NUM, Hospital Supervisor, DON and Executive on call. (v) Nursing Hours of 5.5 Nursing Hours per Patient Day (‘NHPPD’) averaged over a 4 week period will apply to inpatient wards. (vi) The employer has a responsibility to provide reasonable workloads for nurses.