‘Nursing work is teamwork’
Atlantic Canadians urged to respect teamwork of RNS, LPNS and CCAS
heather.clarke@saltwire.com
Nan Mcfadgen started her career working in long-term care as a PCW (Personal Care Worker) before going to nursing school to become an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse).
She’s seen firsthand how society doesn’t always see the whole team, but says the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be reinforcing the importance of the full nursing team of LPNS, CCAS (Continuing Care Assistants) and RNS (Registered Nurses).
“Never before has it been more apparent that nursing work is teamwork. We need to value our nursing teams, and they need to feel that value from us,” says Mcfadgen. “I don’t see how we get to the other side of this pandemic without working together as a team.”
As the president of CUPE NS — which represents LPNS, CCAS and RNS — Mcfadgen says CCAS in particular tend to be undervalued despite being “an integral part of the nursing team.”
“When my own mom was in longterm care with dementia, it was a CCA who found her cancer because CCAS are on the front line providing intimate care,” says Mcfadgen. “Without my mother’s CCA paying attention and using their education, my mother would have suffered and no one would have known why.”
CCAS provide direct care and support services to people of all ages, enriching their quality of life. Mcfadgen would often receive texts and photos from her mother’s CCAS as they spent time with her, relaxing and watching the hockey game together, while they were on their breaks.
“That’s the kind of people who work in long-term care. They’re pretty amazing, and it would be nice if society agreed they were amazing,” adds Mcfadgen.
“When people think of thanking nurses this week, we want to make sure they’re thinking about the whole nursing team.”
Bev Strachan is president of CUPE Local 8920 — which serves more than 4,700 members who are hospital workers employed by the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) — and says we “can’t thank nurses enough” right now.
“LPNS, RNS and CCAS play an integral role in healthcare delivery every day, and especially during these unprecedented times when we are so appreciative of their skills, knowledge and dedication to the health of Nova Scotians,” adds Strachan.
CUPE’S Long Term Care Committee Chair Louise Riley adds that while the pandemic brought to light some of the ongoing issues in long term care, such as chronic staff shortages, it also shone the light on the professionalism and commitment that long term care staff bring to their work.
“I have never been more proud of our members than seeing them continue to show up for the residents with smiles on their faces, knowing full well the risk they are taking for themselves,” says Riley.
National Nursing Week runs May 11-17, 2020, and Mcfadgen suggests the best way to show our appreciation is by “taking a snapshot” of our current situation so we remember it when nursing teams are back at the bargaining table — lobbying for resident/staff ratio increases and meaningful wages.
“Banging on pots and pans to say ‘Thank you’ is kind, but in the end, I want to see real change for the frontline and that is our home care, long term care and hospital workers. That’s what they deserve.”