Unsafe Staffing  

Staffing Assignment Report Form

A situation in which a registered nurse is unable to provide quality care to his/her patients/clients. An understaffed unit is an incident.

Any time the floor or unit is understaffed, you have a duty to make that known. Use an Incident Report/ Quality Assurance form and/or the Staffing Assignment Report. An understaffed unit is an area of liability, a risk that needs to be brought to the attention of the manager.

From a liability perspective, you need documentation that each level of the organization was aware of staffing difficulties.

• Tell your supervisor or nurse manager.
• Make copies for yourself and the Local 141 representative.
• Give a copy to your manager or risk management..
• Send a copy to Local 141.

We then notify Nursing Administration. This is the only proof that you recognized and reported a potentially dangerous situation to the hospital administrator who is responsible for solving it. If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.

Staff Nurse Liability:

• Liability is always shared between the staff nurse and supervisor.
• When working on understaffed units, you do face an increased possibility of liability.
• Floating to an area with which you are unfamiliar will incur a higher risk of liability.
• Much of your liability depends on whether or not you prioritize your tasks appropriately.

Supervisor Liability

• Supervisors will share liability for patient injuries.
• They also share liability if they knowingly float individuals to areas outside their competency.
• Supervisors have a duty to help understaffed units by obtaining additional staff, pitching in to help, and they should make frequent visits to understaffed units.
• All nurses, whether supervisory or not, need to be careful and cognizant that they will remain liable for all tasks attempted, completed, and omitted.

Institutional Liability

• The hospital remains liable for the behavior of it’s employees

---

  Grievance Procedure  

Grievance Form

Every contract negotiated by UFCW 141 includes a grievance procedure for addressing contract violations as they arise. The procedure is negotiated by individual bargaining units and varies according to their unique needs. They share similarities and differences, and are legally binding.

All include a time frame for which to file a grievance.  Also included is a contractually binding number of steps and definitions of those steps.  Therefore, it is crucial that an employee promptly file a grievance when he or she discovers that a contract violation has occurred. If a grievance is not filed within the time frame contained in the contract, the grievance generally cannot be pursued.

The procedure progresses through management and administration, and if no resolution is forthcoming, may include binding arbitration.  The member is supported and may be accompanied by union representatives.

Your procedure is detailed in your contract. If you feel you have a grievance, consult your union representative at the Local 141 office. The office staff works closely with bargaining unit officers to provide the best possible representation.

All email is discoverable in court (if your grievance should reach that point) so to best ensure your privacy, we cannot risk accepting grievances by email. However, we would like to hear from you by phone or personal contact if you feel your contract has been violated.

Failure to report violations means we can't defend you and may result in loss of your workplace rights.  So that we can best represent you and your practice, let us know of unacceptable conditions in your facility.  You are the union.  Protect yourself by standing up for your rights.