The goal of the Clinical Capacity Reporting process is to improve care for patients and the work environment for nurses.

Acute Care - documenting provides a mechanism to:

• Identify situations that compromise nurses’ ability to provide safe patient care
• Make recommendations to improve the quality of patient care
• Ensure professional standards are met
• Motivate the employer to make improvements
• Prove employer has been informed regarding patient care concerns

Process

• Assess patient assignment (acuity, staff complement etc)
• If workload jeopardizes safe patient care, contact supervisor
• If unresolved, submit Clinical Capacity Report within 72 hours
• Protect privacy - Never use personal names of residents/clients or staff
• Manager meets with nurse within 5 working days, written response in 10 working days
• If unresolved, referred to BUGLM, written response in 10 working days
• If response is unsatisfactory, or unit submits 10+ separate reports in one month, matter referred to DHA CEO
• If still unresolved, matter referred to Independent Assessment Committee

Long Term Care/Community Care - 

 Documenting concerns provides a mechanism to:

• Identify situations that compromise nurses’ ability to provide safe resident/client care
• Make recommendations to improve the quality of resident/client care
• Ensure professional standards are met
• Motivate the employer to make improvements
• Prove employer has been informed regarding resident/client care concerns

Process:

• Assess status of resident/client assignment (acuity, staff complement etc)
• If workload level jeopardizes safe resident/client care, contact supervisor
• If unresolved, submit Clinical Capacity Report
• Protect privacy – never use personal names of residents/clients or staff
• Manager responds to nurse’s concern
• If unresolved, matter is forwarded to NSNU Labour Management Committee