Returning to work after a serious injury can be a daunting journey.
Following an accident that resulted in serious injury Kylie, a member of the NPAA Queensland branch, was ready to return to work.
Kylie’s return to work was carefully managed through a graduated schedule, initially working three days on and one day off, progressing to a four-day roster. Being mindful of her physical limitations Kylie emailed the Nursing Unit Manager (NUM) to request an additional day off to accommodate her ongoing rehabilitation.
Additionally to this, Kylie was previously enrolled in an aggressive physical management course scheduled in the following months however, due to her injury, requested to reschedule the course to a more suitable time.
While Kylie believed rescheduling the management course would better support her recovery, the NUM maintained that the original request, made before Kylie's injury, did not violate any fatigue or rostering guidelines. Concerned about the potential strain the course could place on her recuperating injury, Kylie sought the assistance of NPAA.
Kylie was assigned a case manager to address her concerns.
Discussions with our case manager, HR and the NUM led to a revised roster arrangement: two days working followed by two days off, providing Kylie with essential recovery time without compromising her work commitments. The new roster allows Kylie the time to properly heal so that she will eventually return in a full-time capacity.
With the advocacy and support of NPAA, Kylie received a revised roster arrangement along with the approval to reschedule her physical management course to a more opportune time.
How is the NPAA so effective in defending members during workplace issues and disputes? Our experienced and professional case managers use our unique RED™ case resolution system.
Why is the NPAA different? We believe that real change in healthcare STARTS with empowering frontline nurses, not bureaucrats.
If you are a member of NPAA and need assistance with a workplace issue, please submit a member support ticket on your dashboard, or contact us at 1300 263 374 - hotline@npaa.asn.au
To find out more about NPAA and become protected today visit: npaa.redunion.com.au/join
The name of the member in this article has been changed for confidentiality reasons.