| 1. |
What change is Canadian Blood Services (CBS) proposing and how is it different from the
current procedure?
Currently nurses perform a health interview with every donor. They assist donors with a health assessment questionnaire and perform a minor examination (blood pressure, pulse and temperature). Nurses use their clinical skills and knowledge to observe symptoms of illness and discuss health issues with donors.
CBS wants to eliminate nurses from initial screening and replace them with multi-skilled
workers with only eight weeks training.
Nurses will only be involved in donor screening when the multi-skilled worker (or other CBS staff) requests their involvement. |
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| 2. |
What's wrong with the change CBS is proposing?
multi-skilled workers lack nursing education and clinical skills. They may miss symptoms of illness of which donors are unaware. It may be unsafe for donors to give blood that have not been screened by nurses with training and background in pharmacology, pathology and physiology.
multi-skilled workers will not have the training to promote health and wellness with donors. |
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| 3. |
Isn't all blood tested for infectious agents?
Yes. But not every infectious agent has a blood test (i.e. variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob's
Disease) and some have "window periods" where agents are not detectable.
Nurses help eliminate risks before they enter the blood system. |
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| 4. |
Why is the change important to Canadians?
The Krever Inquiry examined Canada's tainted-blood scandal and made important
recommendations about keeping our blood supply safe. The Inquiry said "careful
screening is essential to maintain a safe blood supply and it must continue."
Nurses are important in blood screening because they screen every donor. multi-skilled workers lack skills to observe signs of possible illness. If a donor doesn't report symptoms, multi-skilled workers likely won't refer them to nurses for assessment. |
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| 5. |
Why does CBS want to make the change?
CBS claims the nursing shortage is impacting their ability to retain and recruit
sufficient nurses to staff their clinics. CBS must compete with other employers
for nurses, but they could become an "employer of choice" by offering
attractive working conditions.
Research shows that full-time positions enhance retention and recruitment of staff. Yet the majority of nurses working in CBS' Ontario centres are part-time. Current vacancies on CBS' website are part-time.
Before CBS claims "the nursing shortage is impacting its operation", it
has more work to do to improve retention and recruitment. It's also cost effective
for CBS to replace nurses with multi-skilled workers rather than compete with other employers
for skilled staff. |
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| 6. |
Is there anything wrong with cost-effectiveness and efficiency at CBS?
All organizations seek cost-effectiveness in their operations. But, introducing lesser-skilled employees (multi-skilled workers) into important roles when they don't have skills to identify sickness or early-stage health problems doesn't promote safe blood.
The Krever Inquiry said "the principle of safety must transcend other principles
and policies". |
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| 7. |
Does CBS have evidence to prove their proposed change will promote blood safety?
They have not supplied evidence to demonstrate their change enhances a safe blood supply. |
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| 8. |
Why are nurses opposing CBS making this change?
Careful screening is important to keep our blood supply safe. Eliminating the assessment skills of nurses from initial screening is not a step in the right direction. |
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| 9. |
Are nurses' objections to CBS' proposed change just unions
trying to 'save jobs'?
No. CBS says there will be no lay-offs with the change, therefore 'saving jobs' is not a factor in our response. |
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| 10. |
Are similar changes happening in blood donor clinics internationally?
In most OECD countries, doctors, nurses or other health professionals do initial
donor screening. The US and England have multi-skilled worker-like roles.
Changes in New Zealand's blood service give a good example. New Zealand attempted to use student nurses for initial donor screening. But they found student nurses lacked the complex skills necessary for blood screening. They switched back to nurses. |
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| 11. |
What should I do if I also don't agree with CBS' plan
to eliminate nurses from initial donor screening?
Email the federal health minister.
Tell Minister Aglukkaq that nurses should screen all Canadian blood donors. |
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