What is a PRF PRF Professional Responsibility Form
What is a PRF? PRF = Professional Responsibility Form Article 59 in the Provincial Collective Agreement A tool for nurses to document their concerns!
When Should I Use a PRF? When problems or potential problems arise at work relating to …. • Nursing Practice Conditions • Patient Safety • Nurse Safety • Workload
What does a PRF do for me? Gets you a meeting with your Employer, where you can discuss your concerns. Documents your concerns and records the fact that you have made your employer aware of the problem. Creates evidence of how often nurses are working under unacceptable conditions.
How Do I File a PRF? The first step is talking with your manager or supervisor about your concerns. • Use phone, fax, e-mail, or video-conferencing when face-to-face is not possible. • If you do not feel the response you get addresses your concerns, you have 7 days fill out a PRF! PRFs can be filled out quickly and still be effective, and (BCNU can show you how)
I filled out the PRF…Now What? Make copies! Give one to: • • Your Steward Your Local PRF Committee Your Manager and … YOURSELF! You will be contacted by the local PRF Committee to attend a PRF meeting where you can present your concerns.
The steps of the PRF process … as outlined in Article 59 Professional Responsibilit y Clause ______________
PRF Committees Article 59. 03 – 59. 06 describes how local PRF Committees work. If you do not have a local steward and/or PRF committee, contact your regional executive.
Important Concepts for PRFs… The PRF process should be focused on Problem Solving and Collaboration with the Employer. PRFs DON’T replace incident reports as required by your employer but… PRFs DO inform your Employer of unsafe situations, a key point in making them responsible for the situation. PRFs are not adversarial, they are about jointly identifying problems and solutions.
What does the CRNBC say? 1 Communicating with your employer • “As a registered nurse, it is important for you to inform your manager when a lack of support or resources interferes with your delivery of client care. Managers are expected to examine these situations and take appropriate action to advocate for improvements to client care. “ On-line; December 16 th, 2008: http: //www. crnbc. ca/downloads/404. pdf
What does the CRNBC say? 2 Documenting these situations • “clearly describe the safety concerns using the standards; • be as specific as possible. General statements about clients being at risk, working short and being unsafe do not provide sufficient information to enable others to address your concerns; • explain the problems related to number of staff as well as availability of resources or supports and the actual or potential effects on clients by providing specific examples” On-line; December 16 th, 2008: http: //www. crnbc. ca/downloads/404. pdf
What does the CRNBC say? 3 Working Together • “work collaboratively with others to resolve these situations by proposing strategies and supporting solutions which promote safe care. ” On-line; December 16 th, 2008: http: //www. crnbc. ca/downloads/404. pdf The BCNU says filing a PRF achieves all these things! things • communicating with your employer; • documenting the situation; • working together!
PRF Support &Resources BCNU Website Regional Executive Steward Team Local PRF Committee PRF Officer
What Can the Steward Team do? Assist if members need help filling out a PRF. Go with members to meetings with managers and the PRF Committee. Direct members on how to move their PRFs forward if their issues remain unresolved. Seek guidance from Regional PRF Representative and Provincial PRF Officer on “next steps”.
And What Can I Do? It is important that you attend scheduled PRF meetings : • The process is designed to hear from the member • If you don’t attend, the process halts and the issues remain unresolved. Encourage other nurses to fill out PRFs ! • More PRFs from the same area on the same issue lets management know that this is a universal problem, and everyone’s concerned.
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