Joint Bulletin: Update on PCAP - Enhanced Data Gathering
Starting June 8, nurses working on a significant number of units around the province will begin trialing in-patient and critical care tools that have been developed to support the final agreed-upon tools necessary to implement the direct patient care assessment process (PCAP) described in Article 60 of the 2019-2022 Nurses? Bargaining Association (NBA) provincial collective agreement. This enhanced rapid data gathering period will support the parties to finalize tools for these direct care practice areas.
The PCAP tools are intended to help nurses and managers of a unit, department or service jointly determine patient care staffing needs.
The parties have been working intensely on the development of these processes and tools for multiple direct care practice areas. Units participating in the trial period will be identified and notified this week. Direct care nurses in the selected units will assess their patients using acuity and dependency levels. In-charge nurses will collate the individual assessments and input the scores into the tool for the unit. In-charge nurses and managers/designates will produce two alternative numbers for direct care staff required to meet patient care needs. The reason for two calculations is to help determine the appropriate weighting in the final tool. Data gathered will support the parties to reach agreement on the appropriate weighting. Upon agreement, the final tool will produce one number.
Once the in-patient and critical care tools are final there will be a broader launch to implement these tools province-wide.
BCNU and HEABC continue to develop additional PCAP tools for other direct care practice areas. Both parties remain committed to this work and to keeping you informed as we move forward.
A help desk has been established to support questions from nurses and managers regarding provincial PCAP implementation. Please send all related questions and comments via email to help@bcpcap.ca.