RPNs: Proud to Say We're HSA
RPNS HELPED FOUND HSA TO PRESERVE THEIR DISTINCT PROFESSION
When nine professions came together to form the Health Sciences Association over fifty years ago, Registered Psychiatric Nurses were among the union's founders.
The union's RPN founders joined HSA to preserve their distinct profession, and to ensure their expertise and workplace issues would not be submerged among those of other nurses. Over the years, HSA has successfully advocated on behalf of RPNs who faced barriers to job placement and career advancement -- all too often, because of discrimination from RNs, nurse managers, and direct pressure from BCNU policies to limit RPN positions.
RPNs like you have stuck with HSA for over fifty years because it's the union that's always stood up for the specialized skills and training that sets RPNs apart.
PROMOTING RPNS AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
HSA actively promotes the important and unique work of registered psychiatric nurses in worksites around the province. Working through our vital affiliation with national unions, our partnership with professional associations or other labour unions, HSA is building the profile of RPNs and the mental health issues they treat.
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH
HSA is here to help members like you with a variety of questions and workplace issues. Here's how to get the support you need:
- Talk to your local steward -- click here to find the steward for your worksite.
- Email us at @email
LATEST RPN NEWS
- Member Survey Workload, Shortages and Wait Times Now Open (June 26, 2023)
- SWITCH BC Wants to Hear from You on Violence in Healthcare (June 22, 2023)
- Agreement Reached on Long-Service Pay Increases for RPNs (June 1, 2023)
- NBA members vote in favour of new collective agreement (April 27, 2023)
- Historic Tentative Agreement Reached Between NBA and HEABC (March 31, 2023)
View all HSA news and updates.
IS YOUR INFORMATION UP TO DATE?
To receive updates directly, make sure that your contact information is up to date through our online member contact update form.
Collective Agreements
Information on the 2022-2025 collective agreement can be found at the ratification hub.
A full copy of the 2014-2019 collective agreement can be found here:
Resources
HSA's RPN stewards are provided with specialized training to ensure they understand the unique concerns of RPNs and the best ways the union can help you in the workplace. We are planning further sessions and to find out about upcoming RPN steward training, visit the events page.
RPN Summit on Violence in the Workplace (September 10, 2015)
Are you a registered psychiatric nurse working in a rural or remote community? Check out your eligibility for student loan forgiveness.
http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/loans_grants/repayment/help/forgiveness.shtml
The PRF is used to document a concern related to professional standards. Any issue relating to professional standards and practice are appropriate for the PRF process. Practice conditions, workload, patient safety and nurse safety all relate to professional standards. If some aspect of your workplace is preventing you from meeting your professional standards, then the PRF process is your tool for advocacy and resolution.
The first step any time you have an issue in your workplace is to talk to your steward and then have a conversation with your excluded manager. If it helps follow the PRF Checklist. Filling out a PRF will help you summarize the issue and the remedy, which will help you when you have these conversations.
- Download the PRF
- Download the PRF Checklist (coming soon)
- If you have questions about Professional Responsibilities Forms (PRFs), contact @email
HSA members represented by the Nurses' Bargaining Association negotiated the conversion of one percent (1%) of the 2008 market adjustment to provide funding for inflation protection and benefits for retirees.
UBC School of Nursing: Nurses and Workplace Violence (videos)
RPN Information Archive
- NBA Bargaining Update: Bargaining Formally Underway (December 9, 2022)
- Supreme Court of BC rejects BC Nurses' Union application (March 6, 2017)
- NBA Settlement to provide damages payment for RPN's 2017 college fees (January 17, 2017)
- HSA asking tough questions on recent attacks on RPNs (November 16, 2016)
- NBA contract ratified (May 13, 2016)
- Despite concerns, HSA recommends Yes vote on tentative agreement (April 19, 2016)
- HSA welcomes Labour Relations Board decision dismissing BCNU applications to raid non-nursing professionals (April 12, 2016)
- Tentative agreement reached (April 5, 2016)
- Nurses’ bargaining in high gear (March 7, 2016)
- HSA fighting to allow RPNs to apply for jobs without disclosing info to BCNU (January 27, 2016)
BCNU FOUND TO HAVE PUT NURSES AND PATIENTS AT RISK
The BC Labour Relations Board has ruled that workers and patients were put at risk by dangerous tactics used by BC Nurses' Union (BCNU) organizers in December. The BCNU organizers were attempting to convince registered psychiatric nurses to leave their union, Health Sciences Association of BC.
"When HSA worked with the Ministry of Health to bring together health care unions and employers earlier this month, it was with a view to preventing risks of violence to health care workers and their patients. It is frankly hard to understand how another union is now responsible for increasing the potential for harm, rather than working cooperatively with the rest of us to address the issues," Avery said.