Nurses Equipped to Monitor Ratio Implementation on the Front Lines

BCNU’s 16 regional ratio representatives (RRRs) met at the union’s head office in Burnaby on Oct. 15 for their first in-person education day to help equip them to support minimum nurse-to-patient ratio (mNPR) implementation at worksitesacross BC. The RRR team is made up of one steward from each BCNU region chosen through an application process to represent the union as mNPR subject matter experts.

RRRs are responsible for:

• Acting as a regional resource on mNPR
• Maintaining a regional network of active members who are ratio champions and providing them with leadership, mentoring and direction
• Tracking mNPR implementation progress across worksites and reporting issues and variations to joint regional implementation committees (JRICs) and BCNU regional council members. JRICs are made up of representatives from BCNU and health employers, and they play a critical role to ensure mNPRs are consistently and effectively applied across all hospital-based care settings.

BC has led the country in ratio implementation and has made significant progress since the provincial government committed to ratios in April 2023. Phase one ratio activation in acute care settings is nearing completion – but there is still much more to be done. The work that RRRs will do to monitor ratio implementation on the ground and report on progress and challenges is critical for ensuing ratios successfully improving working conditions for nurses and care conditions for patients.

RRR contact information can be found in the BCNU Member Portal under regional contacts.