3,000 administrative agents trained in an emergency to assist nurses have begun to gradually consolidate establishments, but sometimes they have to do so without a computer network access code or employee card, or even without an office or computer.
Offices and workplaces are not suitable to accommodate excessive staffexplained Tamara Espera, administrative officer and union representative at CIUSSS of East-of-the-Island-of-Montreal. Some people receive access codes, but they don’t work. We lack preparationhe added.
The case reported by Ms. Espera is no different, acknowledges Chantal Marchand of the Association of Managers of Health and Social Services Establishments (AGESSS). In fact, it is variable geometry from one region to another, the capacity to accommodate administrative agents. It takes a lot of teamwork to find space and equipment for them. There may be many reasons to explain these difficulties, but it is not a question of bad faith, on the contrary!
Other cohorts are expected to come to the field in the summer. Many stakeholders are asking the government to make sure everything is put in place to improve their integration.
Basics: know what to do
For example, Tamara Espera regrets that the workload of new agents has not been adequately defined. Said some trainees not really knowing what to do as part of their future roles, so they were quickly deployed after their eight weeks of training.
Is the job description clear? Did we take the time to take a good look at it all? Ms. asked. Marchand. However, he assures us that he is don’t think the network doesn’t need these people. He remains convinced that the government is right to launch such a program, amid the labor shortage.
For us, the arrival of administrative staff is a good ideaalso said FSSS-CSN vice president Josée Marcotte. We have been asking for it for a long time! However, it is done in an improvised manner. We do not feel that the network is prepared, because the government has not taken the time to talk to union organizations. [afin de connaître les besoins].
Calling for better planning
The accelerated education program was launched in December by Quebec to relieve nursing staff of administrative tasks. $ 4,000 bursaries were distributed to all regions of the province to encourage registrations, in exchange for work for at least a year in the network.
New officers must, among other things, greet patients, gather information, complete files and make an inventory of the equipment nurses need. There should be better planning to properly accommodate these staff, thinks Josée Marcotte. He wants to put the government in place the winning conditions to promote their retentionotherwise, he fears that new agents will leave their jobs after a year.
Me, I hope everything goes wellend of Ms. Espera. When the first agents arrived in March, it was excitement! But we will try to make sure it follows its course, as we did for new attendant beneficiaries. Over time, we adapted.
However, he asks managers to also make sure older agents are not bullied in the process. Some are still on the call list waiting for permanent employment, while being responsible for overseeing new ones.
Good reception to employees helps keep them going, and all agents will be needed to deal with a potential seventh wave of COVID-19, believes Chantal Marchand. We hope everything is ready for fall. Rest assured that managers are very concerned about this and they are working hard to make it happen.
Source: Radio-Canada
