I am very disappointed how the article Care aides aim to lighten the nurse workload (News, Jan. 15) presents CMDR (care model delivery redesign).
My wife is one of many RN’s who will be impacted by these changes in the acute care setting effective this April. This CMDR model is supposed to be focused on safe patient care, not about us versus them (RNs versus HCAs). Please let’s not be distracted from the main issue which is the unachievable goals of CMDR.
Nurses will not “have more one-on-one” time with patients. This is very much to the contrary. Working in this profession for 14 years, she has watched as RNs often struggle with their current patient loads due to patients’ complex care demands. People are living longer and have higher care needs than ever seen before. RNs are grateful to have Care Aides assistance in meeting some of the simpler needs of these patients, however please do not mislead the public into thinking that Care Aides have the skills or training to assess subtle changes which directs patient care.
The comment, “CMDR will ease a nurse’s workload” is ludicrous. Due to the increasingly complex care needs of acutely ill patients, trying to monitor eight to 10 of these types of patients per hospital shift will be impossible, if patient safety is the goal. A residential care facility cannot be compared to an acute care setting of a hospital.
As recommended by B.C. Nurses Union, there should be an independent review of the CMDR model. Cost cutting should not impact safe patient care. As it stands, this model cannot guarantee this. The public should be concerned, and hold their government accountable when these changes come into effect, and backfire.
Richard Doucet
View Royal
