BORDER
TO ALBERTA ‘NOT' CLOSED (According to HPA Director)
On
January 19, 2009 Brian Fandrick and I met with Dona Carlson
and Karel Bennett - Director of the Health Professions Unit
(HPA) of the Alberta Government. A few years ago the Health
Professional Act was introduced and put into fruition in our
province. Without going into detail, the bottom line that
was presented to us by Human Resources and a representative
of the HPA was this - "in order to practice as an orthopaedic
technologist you must first be an LPN and then take an advanced
orthopaedic course through Norquest College".
This
information meant a CSOT member without an LPN license would
not be hired in Alberta. Those already working would be grand
fathered. Norquest's programme is geared more toward orthopaedic
nursing than orthopaedic technology. Through no fault of their
own, candidates with an orthopaedic certificate are not truly
prepared to enter the workforce with the skills required to
work independently. Norquest does not have a practicum exam
for these candidates. They receive a certificate on a written
exam only.
The
intent of the meeting with HPA was to discuss the possibility
of CSOT input into the already existing programme to assist
in raising the level of technical knowledge and practicum
experience. To our surprise, we were informed the HPA does
not say "you must be an LPN with the Norquest Programme" to
have the right to practice in Alberta.
It
appears CSOT members were either misinformed or misrepresented
by the HPA representative and H.R. personnel from our region.
Because of this, the expertise and skill set that could have
been brought into our province by CSOT registered members
was denied. The director of HPA, Karel Bennett, stated she
would ask the Deputy Minister of Alberta to send a letter
to all HR and Management with the correct interpretation of
the Act. LPN/Ortho Techs are regulated through HPA, CSOT members
are unregulated. According to HPA either can work in Alberta.
LPN/OT's can do a (restricted) procedure, ie., start an IV
whereby CSOT members without the LPN certificate cannot. Whether
regulated or unregulated there is an element of supervision.
CSOT registered orthopaedic technologists/orthopaedic technicians
are under the supervision of an Orthopaedic Surgeon or ER
Physician. Ultimately, management can make their own decision
as to who is hired for any specific discipline.
The
puzzle is - if HR and Management had a choice of having a
skilled technologist or one with limited skills, especially
when compensation in some regions is equal - why have CSOT
members from across Canada been shut out? I truly hope the
answer to this is because there has been a serious misinterpretation
of the Health Professions Act. Hopefully there will be a review
as well as a revision of past decisions. Respectfully
submitted Patricia Ennis, President CSOT |
