Professional Practice

Independent Assessment Committees (IACs)

Moving forward issues of Professional Practice can require ONA and its members to advance their concerns to the formal stage of an Independent Assessment Committee (IAC) hearing.

When concerns are not adequately addressed by employers, many ONA collective agreements provide the option to call an IAC.

Going to an IAC gets results!

Our Professional Practice Team has developed a new infographic to share recent successes resolving workload and practice issues through the IAC process.

Three successful IACs occurred last year, and the infographic highlights some of the key issues and the wins achieved. One year later almost all the recommendations have been implemented, in all three files.

Past Reports and Summaries

See below for a selection of reports from past IACs and the recommendations made by the expert panels following the hearings.

2024

Brant Community Health System (May 5, 2024)

Winchester Memorial District Hospital (March 18, 2024)

Kingston Health Sciences Centre (January 17, 2024)

Media Release: Second Expert Nursing Panel Report Underscores Urgent Need to Improve Nurse Staffing and Retention at Kingston Hospital (January 26, 2024)

2023

Campbellford Memorial Hospital Medical Surgical Unit (August 14, 2023)

Media Release: Nursing Experts Make 141 Recommendations to Improve Staffing, Retain Nurses and Improve Care at Campbellford Memorial Hospital

Collingwood General and Marine Hospital (May 8, 2023)

Media Release: Registered nurse staffing must improve at Collingwood General and Marine Hospital, expert panel urges (May 12, 2023)

2022

Kingston Health Sciences Centre – Inpatient Mental Health and Addictions Program (December 5, 2022)

Media Release: Independent Expert Nursing Panel agrees with ONA that more could be done to retain, recruit RNs to Kingston Health Sciences Centre (December 8, 2022)

2021

Southlake Regional Health Centre – Medical Assessment Consultation Unit (MACU) (November 14 2021)

St. Mary’s General Hospital – Emergency Department (July 16, 2021)

Media Release: More Registered Nurses Needed at St. Mary’s General Hospital Emergency Department, Expert Panel Says (July 21, 2021)

Guelph General Hospital  –  Special Care Nursery (May 30, 2021)

Media Release: Expert Nursing Panel agrees with ONA: More registered nurses are required in Special Care Nursery at Guelph General Hospital (May 31, 2021)

2014

Humber River Hospital – Endoscopy Program (Finch and Church Sites) (July 25, 2014)

Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre (July 10, 2014)

Nipigon District Memorial –  Emergency Department and Acute Care Unit (April 2014)

Rouge Valley Health System – 3 Margaret Birch Wing (Post Acute Care Unit consisting of geriatric treatment and assessment, complex continuing care and alternate level of care beds) (February 2014)

2013

Orillia Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital – Day Surgery Unit (March 25, 2013)

Kingston General Hospital – Critical Care Program (ICU) (May 15, 2013)

2011

Sault Area Hospital – Renal Unit (March 2011)

2010

Cassellholme Home for the Aged, North Bay (March 2010)

2009

Niagara Health System, St. Catharines – Emergency Department (March 2009)