St. Joseph’s at Fleming restructuring staff

St. Joseph’s at Fleming will double its ratio of registered practical nurses (RPNs) to residents as it restructures its nursing staff as part of its 2015-19 strategic plan, the not-for-profit long-term care facility announced Tuesday.

The ratio will be decreased to a 1:25 model of care while 12-hour shifts will be reduced to eight hours, ensuring that nursing staff are always available to attend to residents’ needs, chief executive officer Patrick Gillespie said.

That ratio was 1:50 when the facility opened in 2004, he said. “We want the community to share in our growth. Resident care is number one here and St. Joseph’s is continually improving.”

The restructuring is expected to create several more full and parttime RPN positions, who will be hired in the “near future,” officials stated.

The exact number is still being worked out and officials are in the midst of discussions about the restructuring with its unionized employees, Gillespie said.

St. Joseph’s at Fleming, the first long-term-care facility built on the campus of a learning institution, was established through a partnership between Marycrest Home for the Aged, Anson House and Fleming College.

Its 200 residents benefit from a range of recreational programs, health supports and multi- denominational spiritual services, officials stated.

St. Joseph’s partnered with Fleming to create an Institute for Healthy Aging, in which practical learning opportunities for both organizations became ingrained in the day-to-day care of the residents.

NOTE: St. Joseph’s at Fleming has a new website at www.sjfltc.com.