Nurses should be included in presumptive coverage for psychological injuries

United Nurses of Alberta is calling on the Government of Alberta to include nurses in presumptive coverage by the Workers’ Compensation Board for psychological injuries related to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other traumatic mental health injuries.

Through the nature of their work, nurses are routinely exposed to traumatic events in the workplace. Nurses should not be forced to wait for – or be denied – access to Workers’ Compensation benefits after experiencing traumatic events while on the job.

Making this change to the Workers’ Compensation Act for nurses would presume that a confirmed psychological or psychiatric injury happened because of an incident at work. This coverage is already extended to other first responders such as police, firefighters, emergency medical workers, dispatchers, and corrections officers.

The only obvious difference is that the professions that receive presumptive coverage are dominated by men, while in the nursing profession a majority of practitioners are women. This is discriminatory and unfair.

UNA believes that this coverage should be extended to all nurses who hold a practice permit or are registered with a college of a regulated profession under the Health Professions Act.

If the Workers’ Compensation Act is changed, nurses will have access to Workers’ Compensation programs and treatment initiatives that will assist them in their recovery and get them back in to the health care workforce faster.

Tell Alberta MLA's to include nurses in presumptive coverage for psychological injuries

Contact your MLA to discuss why Alberta nurses should have presumptive coverage for psychological injuries. Visit www.assembly.ab.ca to find your MLA’s name and contact information.

Meeting with your MLA

Contact your MLA’s constituency office and request an in-person meeting to discuss why this issue is important to you as their constituent and for nurses across Alberta.

Once you have arranged a meeting with your MLA, create a list of the most important points you would like to discuss.

• Nurses are currently excluded by the Workers’ Compensation Board from presumptive coverage for psychological injuries. Through the nature of their work on the frontlines of the health care system, nurses are routinely exposed to traumatic events in the workplace.
• Presumptive coverage for psychological injuries is already extended to other first responders such as police, firefighters, emergency medical workers, dispatchers, and corrections officers.
• An amendment to the Workers’ Compensation Act could extend coverage to all nurses who hold a practice permit or are registered with a college of a regulated profession under the Health Professions Act.

Be respectful, be honest and leave time for questions. The goal is to influence and help shape decision making. The MLA or their staff will probably have questions, so get to the point and then have a discussion.

Thank the MLA for their time. Be persistent, be patient, and always request a follow up meeting.