Unsafe Assignments

We have an obligation to carry out the assignments we are given. But as patient advocates, we also have an obligation to report and try to correct unsafe assignments.

Unsafe can take many forms: short staffing, floating to units where we do not have the proper training, improper equipment, and more.

If you are given an unsafe assignment:

  1. Tell your manager the assignment is unsafe and why. Ask them to correct the situation.
  2. Fill out a Protest of Assignment. A Protest of Assignment is a written document explaining why, in your professional judgment, the assignment is unsafe. It helps protect your license and also helps us as a union correct patient care problems.
  3. Talk to your NYSNA delegate or rep about how to prevent this situation from happening again.

We can most effectively prevent and address unsafe assignments through collective action.