The Public Hospitals Authority (PHA) will eliminate a new eight-hour shift, which was introduced for nurses last week, as of today, according to PHA Deputy Managing Director Lyrone Burrows.
The Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) took issue with the shift system with scores of nurses calling in sick across The Bahamas last week.
During a press conference on Friday, Burrows said, “Once this matter was brought to our attention by the nurses union, we reviewed it and we have made a decision that, for the time being, we will not move forward with this new eight-hour shift at night. As a result of that, we will have some challenges in terms of providing the necessary coverage.
“We’ve also seen that the nurses union, some of the nurses have been calling in sick over the last week or so and as a result of that, we’ve had some challenges in terms of providing full coverage.
“We also note that we’ve attempted to eliminate the changes that would’ve been implemented over the last week. However, it would’ve created more disruption if we were to eliminate or reverse that during the course of this week.
“So, we anticipate that this will be concluded by the end of this work week, and effective Monday, October 19, we will go back to our normal schedule.”
BNU President Amancha Williams has said the shift system substantially changes the current work schedules for nurses and violates their industrial agreement.
She claimed the system eliminates the current shift of four nights on, four nights off.
However, Burrows said, “We have categorically reviewed this particular matter and we can state that we have not changed or implemented any shift system that is new or any attempt to eliminate the four on, four off system that is in place.”
He said the PHA attempted to increase the number of shifts that were available given the number of nurses in isolation or quarantine.
“Based on the surge of cases within The Bahamas, we attempted to increase the number of nurses who will be able to utilize the shifts that are currently in place,” Burrows said.
“As a result of that, we have been in dialogue with the union as they saw that we were attempting to implement a system that would eliminate the four on, four off system. What the four on, four off system actually does is it is reducing the number of nurses that are in play to provide coverage up to about 25 percent.
“We had a cadre of nurses who had been appointed to the PHA whose contract allowed for them to work eight-hour shifts. With the eight-hour shifts, it would not present the opportunity for the four on, four off shift to be in place, and therefore we would be in a position where we would have significant improvements in coverage.”
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/pha-to-eliminate-shift-system-for-nurses/
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