Five registered nurses at University Hospital of Northern B.C. have been issued displacement notices which are different than layoff notices, said BC Nurses Union regional chair for Northeast region.
Jackie Nault explained the RN's, who received the notices a week ago, can exercise displacement rights, meaning they can possibly bump into other jobs.
"These five positions are usually float positions throughout the hospital, and it's seldom they aren't required on one of the wards," Nault said.
"But we (BCNU) do have concerns about the displacements since it can mean short staffing of nurses on wards.
"We wonder if there will be an increase in overtime to replace the people that have been displaced, said Nault, explaining BCNU wants to ensure quality care at all times.
She added the displacements could cause the loss of some hospital workers as the bumping system filters down through seniority ranks.
