Nurses union president hints more health centres may be ‘grey-listed’

The head of the nurses union says additional health care centres in Manitoba could be subject to grey-listing, a designation chosen by nurses to discourage colleagues from working at the facility owing to unresolved safety issues.

Nurses at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg voted to grey-list the facility in August, while staff at the Thompson hospital voted to grey-list that facility this month.

“I think that you’re going to see more and more facilities asking how they can ‘grey list’ and, certainly, we’re seeing that from other facilities right now,” said Manitoba Nurses Union president Darlene Jackson.

It’s the first time two Manitoba hospitals have been grey-listed at the same time in the union’s 45-year history.

Jackson said members at other sites have approached the union about taking the same step.

“I won’t disclose to you what those facilities are, but I will tell you I almost feel like the dominoes are beginning to fall in this province, where nurses are saying, ‘We are done, I am tired of being responsible for my own safety, it’s an employer responsibility, and I’m not going to do it anymore,’” Jackson said Wednesday.

The union would like management at both hospitals to sign a memorandum of understanding that includes a binding commitment to resolve safety issues within a certain timeline and allow the union to file grievances if the timeline isn’t kept.

“We just want some type of comfort in knowing that we’re actually going to see action and we’re going to see solutions happen without vague promises,” she said.

At HSC Wednesday, a nurse who works in the emergency department told the Free Press she hasn’t noticed any change in staffing since the grey-list vote was taken in August.

“People are still applying for jobs. We still have nursing students… nothing has changed except this title,” said the nurse, who asked that her name not be published.

A month after HSC nurses voted to grey-list the site, the province announced it would pay for two Winnipeg uniformed police officers to be stationed in the adult emergency room 24-7 in the fall. Police began working in the ER waiting room as of Nov. 1.

The nurse said the police presence has made a marked difference in safety.

“Nurses are more inclined to file police reports and expect a response from management… the temperature in the waiting room is completely different when (police) are there,” she said.

HSC’s vote was sparked by a string of assaults in and around the hospital July 2. Staff told the Free Press at the time they felt they were kept in the dark because they weren’t informed about the incident until the next day. One person has been charged.

Shared Health said a mobile phone app was launched in October for HSC staff and visitors. The “Shared Health SAFE” app sends a notification in the event of a dangerous incident on campus.

It includes a feature that allows staff to send their location to a loved one who can watch their movements to ensure they get to their destination safely, a Shared Health spokesperson said Wednesday.

“The app brings together several security measures in one place for users, and is an important step in our continued efforts to ensure staff are properly notified and aware of any security concerns on campus,” the spokesperson said in an email.

In Thompson, Jackson said management reached out to the union and discussions are being held to address the safety concerns. While staff have voted in favour of grey-listing, the union will hold off on actively discouraging nurses from working there for now.

Thompson General Hospital implemented overnight secure access through its emergency department doors this week, a spokesperson for the Northern Health Region said. Stairwell doors and elevators are now locked to everyone but staff overnight, and the only public entry point will be through the emergency room.

Job postings for institutional safety officers, who will be stationed at the Thompson hospital, closed Tuesday.

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca