Article Page

Article Page

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

BCNU RAID OF HEU LPNs

This action of the BCNU has been deemed a "Union Raid" by the HEU,
the CLC, & the BC FEDERATION of LABOUR
and is ILLEGAL!!!!

BC FEDERATION OF LABOUR SUSPENDS BCNU

In an email to all of it's members BCNU yesterday informed them of sanctions by the CLC & the BCFL

As follows:

BC Fed follows disappointing order from the CLC and suspends BCNU

Rejecting the right of nurses to belong to the union of their choice, the moves require BCNU activists to withdraw from official participation in BC Fed, CLC and labour council activities

Following the disappointing order by the Canadian Labour Congress suspending BCNU from labour councils and CLC activities, the BC Federation of Labour has suspended BCNU from its activities as well.

August 20, 2009

To:     All Staff
From:   John Bevanda, Acting Director Labour Relations
___________________________________________________________________________________________
RE:     Union Activities on Interior Health Premises
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has come to our attention that some employees may be actively participating in a
membership drive with respect to the BCNU's recently announced LPN Associate Membership
Program.

Please be advised that Interior Health will not support one union over another in any
inter-union representation campaign. We view this type of behavior as disruptive and
potentially divisive of staff where employees may get caught in the middle. Within our
workplaces we expect everyone's behavior to be respectful of the divergent opinions that
exist and conduct themselves accordingly.

As such, it is the Employer's expectation that any such membership drive activity shall not
take place at or on IHA worksites or facilities. This includes the use of any IHA
resources or property such as boardrooms, meeting rooms, facilities or electronic messaging
networks including MOX and Outlook, which aid in the distribution of pamphlets and/or
posters which advocates one union membership over another.

Further, meetings with individuals or groups for the purpose of engaging in discussions
about this issue are not to occur on Interior Health premises. For greater clarity this
restriction applies equally to all employees and unions regardless of their position in
support of or opposition to the LPN associate membership.

Any materials relating to the current dispute between the FBA and the NBA found on Interior
Health premises or property will be removed.

Our commitment is to continue to focus on providing care to our clients and patients in a
calm and discord free environment. We are requesting all employees to keep this in mind
and to comply with this request.

Your cooperation with these directions is appreciated.

Thank you.

**NOTE** "This was my response to the following email which should have been dated Sept. 3rd not August 3rd and was sent on Sept. 8th"

Buckling to the "Almighty BCNU" just like the Campbell Government

"RN,s RULE!!! L.P.N.'s DROOL!"

Ken Gerbrandt L.P.N.

-----Original Message-----
From: XCOMIHA@mox.interiorhealth.ca [mailto:XCOMIHA@mox.interiorhealth.ca]
Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 1:46 PM
Subject: Union Activities on Interior Health Premises

August 3, 2009

To: All Staff
From: John Bevanda - Acting Director, Labour Relations, IHA
___________________________________________________________________________________________
RE: Union Activities on Interior Health Premises
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It has come to my attention that my initial memo dated August 20th, 2009, relating to union
activities on Interior Health premises, may have caused some confusion or has been
interpreted differently depending on the audience. I have since had a chance to review some
of the differing interpretations and have also had a chance to speak with the respective
unions regarding this matter.

The purpose of this memo is to clarify Interior Health's position and expectations around
union activities in relation to the BCNU's LPN Associate Membership Program. They are as
follows:

1. Interior Health will not support one union over another in an inter-union representation
campaign.

2. Interior Health and the Provincial Unions share the expectation that everyone's
behaviour is to be respectful and that all the people involved conduct themselves
accordingly.

3. Interior Health will allow the wearing of pins so long as such pins are not offensive,
intimidating, or otherwise interfere or undermine the Employer's business.

4. Interior Health knows that many employees have many different types of conversations in
the workplace on numerous issues, including some related to union business. Our
expectation is that those types of conversations shall not ever lead to the disruption of
patient care. Further, that the provision of patient/client care is paramount.

5. Further to my memo dated August 20th, 2009, materials and posters are only to be placed
on union-designated bulletin boards and not throughout Interior Health facilities.
Materials and posters found on walls other than officially designated union bulletin boards
will be taken down. The union(s) have the ability to place these types of materials (pro
or against LPN Associate Membership Program) on their Collective Agreement designated union
bulletin boards without fear of having anyone take them down unless the messaging was
egregious, slanderous or otherwise injurious to Interior Health.

6. With regard to meeting rooms and union business, it was not the intention of my memo
dated August 20th to prohibit the use of meeting rooms for general bargaining unit business
which would normally occur or would constitute a regular practice at that facility or
worksite.

Your cooperation with these directions is appreciated.

Thank you.

THE RIGHT PROFESSION FOR YOU?

What is with the new GRAD?

When I went into nursing I was expecting to work shift work and I have for the magority of the 25 years I have been in the medical field.

We know that recruitment and retainment in our field is a problem and that it has been very difficult in the last few years. But recently it has become downright impossible due to administrative and union restrictions.

These people shouldn't take all of the blame.

I am seeing the majority of new grads unwilling to work shift work and if they do try it - it is very short lived.

Is it that most grads are independantly wealthy and don't need a steady job? I don't think so.

If you want work in a profession that requires shift work than you should make yourself available for it.

At one facility I worked in if you turned down 3 shifts you were put to the bottom of the call out list and if you turned down another 3 shifts you were released. It shouldn't have to come to this.

If you wanted a 9 - 5 Mon - Fri job then you should have chosen your career better and left the college seat for someone else that may have thought about it.

Ken

PROFESSIONAL NURSE - L.P.N., R.P.N., R.N.
Are not all of us NURSES?

Do you consider yourself a professional? Well you should.
For far too long the L.P.N. has been considered - "not a real nurse". Well then what are we?

Do we not care for the sick and the injured.
Do we not care for the young and old.
Do we not provide nursing care in the acute care, the longterm care facility as well as in the community?

Look at most of the literature - even the policy manual of the facility in which you presently work. Many list the nursing staff as: Nurse (referring to the R.N.), L.P.N., and the R.P.N. WE ARE ALL PROFESSIONAL NURSES!!!!
Although we all have different job descriptions do we not all provide nursing care?
Let me relate to you a couple of examples that I have personally encountered of late:
1) A memo from management that stated that in the policy manual "Professional Nurse" refers to R.N., R.P.N. or L.P.N.
When this came out I thought finally a victory for the unrecognized but within a week I could not find a copy of the memo anywhere in the facility and new policy books with the correction have not been published (almost a year later).This memo was in response to a grievance by an R.P.N. when the new policy book came out and it referred to a nurse being an R.N. or an L.P.N. *
2) Name tags. Lets all make sure everyone knows our title.
I was the first L.P.N. hired for this facility and I was ready to make my mark. On orientation I was given a form to fill out which would be used to create my official name tag for the facility in which I worked. It was really quite straight forward - it asked me what I wanted the tag to say on the front. So I made it as simple as possible and generic enough so that other staff/ visitors/ management/ dignitaries/press etc. knew how I would like to be addressed and described my duties. It would read: KEN - STAFF NURSE.
What I got back to adorn my street clothes (uniform) in this family oriented, relaxed atmosphere,long term care facility was: KEN - L.P.N. - Nursing Services.
I cannot tell you how many times in the past year I have gotten into lengthy conversations with any and many of the above mentioned peoples trying to explain what an L.P.N. is and receiving on numerous occasions - "Oh you're not a REAL nurse."

*Apr 18/03 - the memo referred to is now in the front of our policy manuals.

Sundial Rotating

IT WILL TAKE TIME

We would like to thank the following for contributing to this website.

This article contributed by Ken Gerbrandt, L.P.N., EMT/P

S.O.N. (save our nurses) - Nov./2003

Of late there have been a number of get togethers between the R.N.'s & L.P.N.'s of the O.R.C. (Overlander Residential Care) facility here in Kamloops.

The focus of these meetings have been for the R.N.'s to drum up support for their job stability now that it has been rumoured that the I.H.R. (Interior Health Region) has made it their mandate to replace the magority of the R.N.'s in their long term care facilities with L.P.N.'s.

I have had only one opportunity to attend one of these meetings which was one called by an L.P.N. with three R.N.'s in attendance.

The informal gathering was chaired by J. Skaar L.P.N. who recently undertook a refresher course which saw her move within O.R.C. from a L.T.C.A. to her present position of staff L.P.N. Her knowledge of the facility stemming from over twenty years of employment and her nursing knowledge was very evident.

Although everyone seemed to know the purpose of the meeting it sometimes went off on tangents for a variety of reasons.

War stories aside some of them made very valid points.

Cathy Choiner - Support goes without saying but if at any time it declines to the point that propiganda implies that L.P.N.'s skills and professionalism is questioned then our support should be withdrawn.
This brought up the topic of an article in the Kamloops Daily News which some felt did just that with quotes from the local R.N.A.B.C. union rep. ( Liz) *I will attempt to get a copy to reprint here*
Joan also brought up the question of what has been happening in other parts of the region. This was handled by myself and Cathy: the region has various ways they have dealt with it. 1)Most L.T.C. facilities which have seen L.P.N.'s taking over all of the nursing duties have a 24 hr. coverage by an R.N. in the facility connected to them that is also responsible for that facility 2) some have an acute care connected that has nothing to do with the facility unless the L.P.N. in consult with the Doctor deems it necessary to transfer to the A.C. and during usual business hours (0800-1600 hrs. M-F) has an R.N. coordinator 3) some are totally run by L.P.N.'s with a day R.N. supervisor but the A.C. is within two city blocks. 4)I have also heard of a facilities with all nursing care and supervision done by L.P.N.'s or L.T.C.A. -these two instances are yet to be confirmed.

*K. Gerbrandt, Editor

Editorial May 28th

Royal Inland Hospital is trying hard to make changes within limited budgets to provide good patient care. They are now trying a new system, one which has some very positive aspects, but which may be doomed to failure before it begins. Why? Because it's based on scenarios that at this stage have no hope of being realized. What the hospital wants to do is rearrange staffing to provide more critical coverage at key times. They want to hire care aides to take over some of the duties that nurses now perform, leaving nurses to do what they should be doing, providing the medical care and not changing patients beds and diapers. They want more RN's, and fewer practical nurses, why I haven't any idea but that's the proposal. But here's where it falls apart. There aren't enough people to fill those jobs. RN's are in very short supply. One of the biggest problems in nursing over the years is that RN's having been doing jobs that practical nurses should be doing. It's one of the failings of the health system. It costs too much, and we don't need them all. We need some, but we can save money and do more by using more practical nurses. And everywhere you look, there are ads for care aides. They're in really short supply. It's not a job many want. And we're not turning out enough of them. It will be the major stumbling block for senior care facilities in the future, and you can add hospitals to that list. So you can't get care aides and you can't get RN's. And you're staking your future on finding more of these? Doesn't make a lot of sense. As I say, some good ideas in this new proposal. Whether they can pull it off-I guess time will be the judge. I'm Doug Collins and that's One Man's Opinion.

New proposals for health care at RIH may be doomed before they begin. We'll talk about that on tonight's One Man's Opinion.

Doug Collins

News Director/Radio Operations Manager

CIFM-FM/CKBZ-FM/CFJC-TV

460 Pemberton Terrace

Kamloops, B.C. Canada V2C 1T5

Atrial Fibrillation Increases Stroke Risk 500%
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common heart condition that forces the heart to beat irregularly and rapidly, sometimes up to 450 times a minute compared with 60 to 100 times in a normal heart. Erratic heartbeats can cause blood to pool and collect in the heart, possibly forming a clot that can travel to the brain and cause a stroke. When an AF patient suffers a stroke, the consequences can be severe. In fact, 71% will die or have extreme permanent brain damage.

AF affects 2 million Americans, resulting in 70,000 strokes a year. The risk of an AF-related stroke increases with age. Almost 1 of 3 AF patients who are 80 or older will suffer a stroke. Although many patients have no symptoms with AF, people who notice an irregular heartbeat or chest palpitations should call their doctors. Common risk factors associated with AF include high blood pressure, age, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and overactive thyroid gland.

Hip Fracture Patients Discharged Too Soon at Risk for Worse Outcomes
Patients recovering from a hip fracture who had one or more abnormal vital signs, mental confusion, heart or lung problems or couldn't eat when they were discharged from the hospital had a 360% greater chance of dying and a 60% greater chance of readmission within 60 days, according to a new study funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Frequency and Impact of Active Clinical Issues and New Impairments on Hospital Discharge in Patients with Hip Fracture appeared in the January 13 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

* contributor "GERIATRIC NURSING" journal

All materials contained within this website (except where specifically noted) are the opinion/property of the Editor/Webmaster and are copywritten for the express use of our readers for information and entertainment