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“Nurses know they need to take a stand to ensure they are able to deliver safe patient care moving into the future.” - Joan Jessome, NSGEU President.
Halifax (25 Feb. 2014) — Members of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees (NSGEU/NUPGE) who work as registered nurses at the Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) have sent a very clear message to their employer, voting 90 per cent in support of strike action to support the key outstanding issue at the bargaining table: safe patient care.
Nurse to patient ratios major issue in bargaining
“Our members are asking their employer to seriously consider their proposals to implement mandated nurse to patient ratios. Unfortunately, the employer and the government don’t seem overly concerned about patient safety and refuse to seriously entertain our proposals,” says NSGEU President Joan Jessome.
“Nurses know they need to take a stand to ensure they are able to deliver safe patient care moving into the future.”
NSGEU/NUPGE has proposed a plan for an appropriate ratio of nurses to patients that puts patient care and safety first
Our hospitals and community health services have been plagued by underfunding and a shortage of nurses for a long time, and with many experienced nurses set to retire in the near future, the problem is only going to get worse.
The NSGEU’s plan provides an appropriate ratio of nurses to patients. Our ratio plan guarantees minimum numbers only, but can be adjusted to meet higher patient acuity. It also allows for flexibility so nurses can use their professional judgment to determine appropriate levels of care.
More information:
NSGEU video series focuses on patient safety
NSGEU nurses put patient safety first
NUPGE
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE