NBART / CSRT Joint Communiqué
H1N1 Influenza A Pandemic
Should the threat of a full-scale H1N1 Influenza A pandemic outbreak become a reality this fall, it will be important for RTs to have effective processes in place that will facilitate access to information with regards to their local, regional and provincial pandemic plans, as well as information as to what is happening at the national and international level.
In an effort to assist RTs practising in New Brunswick during this public health emergency, the New Brunswick Association of Respiratory Therapists Inc. (NBART Inc.) and the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists (CSRT) have outlined, by way of this communiqué, the roles and responsibilities of their respective organizations. Our goal is to provide a roadmap on how and where to access pandemic-related information, as well as to provide some tools to facilitate networking and the exchange of information with regards to standards of care, human resources issues, emergency registration and liability insurance.
 New Brunswick Association of Respiratory Therapists
As the NBART Inc. is now a regulatory body, akey role for us during an influenza pandemic outbreak will be to ensure that all Respiratory Therapists (RT) working in New Brunswick have access to the information they need to practice safely and effectively. In addition, there is the expectation of this regulatory body that members provide care in a competent manner in accordance with the regulatory requirements and standards of practice of the province of New Brunswick throughout an influenza pandemic. In order to support this, the Association will make every effort to continue core services throughout the duration of an outbreak.
This includes:
- acting as a liaison between government, respiratory therapists and employers to ensure information is available in a timely and easily accessible manner;
- working collaboratively with other regulatory bodies and professions to ensure best practices and other information is shared to provide optimal patient care;
- providing specific professional practice advice via email and telephone.
- in the event additional human resources are required from outside of the province, the NBART Inc. will put in place emergency registration procedures.
Contact:
Nicole Boudreau, President
E-mail: president@nbart.ca
Web: www.nbart.ca or www.atrnb.ca
As the national professional association, the role of the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists is to support the profession and provide leadership at the national level. A key role for the CSRT during an influenza pandemic outbreak is to be an effective advocate for the profession in the national/international forum. In this role the CSRT will:
- disseminate position statements and health communiqués on behalf of the profession;
- disseminate pertinent information regarding the pandemic from relevant national and international health organizations (Public Health Agency of Canada, World Health Organization, etc.) to RTs across Canada;
- explore the provision of professional development and educational opportunities at a reasonable cost for its members;
- facilitate communication between RTs across Canada through its H1N1 listserv as well as its professional practice and leadership listserv services (a listserv is an interactive electronic mailing list and provides a mechanism for CSRT members to share expertise, information and collaborate via ongoing discussion emails);
- facilitate dialogue between provincial regulatory bodies and professional associations by providing web site links and disseminating relevant information and communiqués.
CSRT Professional Liability Insurance during a Pandemic Influenza Outbreak
During an H1N1 influenza A pandemic, respiratory therapists will be at the very front lines of patient care due to the high respiratory care involvement of this particular virus. There may be situations in which the RT will be asked to participate in a “non-traditional” role and must perform in such emergency situations. There may be instances, for some reason, the RT may not be fully covered by their employer's liability insurance.
The CSRT provides professional liability insurance at a reasonable cost to its members. It is important to note that RTs may not be fully covered under a hospital and health institutions’ liability insurance. To ensure professional liability protection, it is recommended that RTs purchase personal professional liability insurance which also includes provisions for legal defence costs in case of disciplinary action.
Contact:
Christiane Ménard, Executive Director,
E-mail: Christiane Ménard
Tel: (613) 731-3164 ext. 222
Approved by the CSRT Board of Directors, October, 2009
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