Survey Response Rate and Analysis
A sincere thank you to the 306 members who completed the 2017 membership survey. From the data, we saw that many of you accessed the survey multiple times before you had the 20 minutes required to fully complete the survey. We appreciate your commitment and efforts!
The 2017 survey response rate was 21% of PEINU’s 1,451 members; a slight increase over 2013’s 19% response rate. While we would always like to hear from more of you, the responses members provided were very complete, detailed, and – on many key topics – demonstrated a high degree of consistency and commonality.
Survey questions were not mandatory, so the number of responses per question varies.
This Executive Summary presents a highlight of key response findings from the 2017 survey to help members be informed about fellow members’ priorities, concerns and workplace realities.
Profile of Survey Respondents
During this part of the survey, respondents were asked questions about themselves and their employment.
- The majority (59%) of respondents indicated their primary work site is in acute care. The next most frequent work site responses were public health nursing (10%) and home care (8%).
- The majority (59%) of respondents indicated they have permanent full-time status, while 34% indicated permanent part-time status.
- The majority (64%) of respondents’ highest level of education is a Bachelor’s Degree, while 26% indicated Diploma.
- Forty-three percent (43%) of respondents were 30 to 45 years old and 28% were 46 to 54 years old.
- Thirty-six percent (36%) of respondents have been an RN for 6-15 years, while 34% have 25 or more years of experience.
- Thirty-seven percent (37%) of respondents have been employed by Health PEI for 6-15 years, while 26% have been employed for 25 or more years.
- Sixty-eight percent (68%) of respondents have changed their permanent position in the last 10 years, and most (44%) had changed one time.
- The most common reason cited for changing position was a new opportunity related to a position or for education/professional development.
Priority Ranking of Issues
During this part of the survey, respondents were asked to rank their various priorities on given rating scales.
- Benefits, vacation, overtime provisions and retirement were all identified as #1 priorities for change or improvements in the upcoming negotiations and were also in the top five priorities ranked most frequently by survey respondents.
- Three educational priorities – employer paid workshop days, continuing education, and education fund – were ranked as #1 priority most often and were also the most frequently ranked priorities among the options provided.
- Adverse weather and physical demands were ranked as #1 priority most often and were also the most frequently ranked priorities among the options provided.
- A majority (53%) of respondents have experienced workplace violence as an employee of Health PEI and 93% of respondents indicated patient/client/resident as the source of workplace violence.
- Of six different types of leaves of absence, 77% of respondents indicated family illness leave as the #1 ‘very important’ type of leave.Ninety-three percent (93%) of respondents indicated they were in favour of seeking paid leave for members who are impacted by domestic abuse.
- Combining respondents’ ‘very important’ and ‘important’ ratings, the areas related to shift premiums, allowances and performance development credits with the highest combined totals were weekend premium (74%), shift differential (70%) and mentorship performance development credit (68%).
- Combining respondents’ ‘very important’ and ‘important’ priority ratings, the areas related to workload, staffing, and skill mix with the highest combined totals were appropriate staffing levels and workload, both by 97% of respondents.
- Eighty-one percent (81%) of respondents indicated workload negatively affects patient/client/resident care/service in their facility or service.
- In terms of benefits and time off, the top three areas respondents rated as ‘very important’ were pension (82%), vacation (81%), and health/dental (75%).
Items of Importance to Members
During this part of the survey, respondents were asked for feedback on specific areas of interest.
- The most common response for desired annual salary increase was 2%, as indicated by 29% of respondents.
- The most common response for desired length of contract term was 3 years, as indicated by 57% of respondents.
- Eighty percent (80%) of respondents indicated they were in favour of moving to an employer-supported mandatory white top/black bottom uniform with the RN/NP identifier in areas/services where uniforms are worn.
- Similarly, 80% of respondents indicated they were in favour of employers limiting the white top/black bottoms to RNs/NPs only in work sites/services where uniforms are worn.
Thank You & Connect with Your PEINU
Thank you again to those of you who took the time to provide your valuable feedback to this process! Your responses help PEINU be well informed about your workplace realities and concerns and ensure that our negotiations reflect what is most important to members.
In solidarity,
Mona O’Shea, RN President, PEINU