Oklahoma Nurses Association

The Oklahoma Nurses Association is pleased, to make available to you, the Workplace Advocacy Consultation Service. This service is available to anyone facing workplace issues and is strictly anonymous. Non-members will have access one-time at no-charge to this service ONA members have unlimited access. If you are interested in becoming a member go to Join ONA.

To access the consultation service:
Email the executive director or call either 405-840-3476 or 800-580-3476. Please include your name, best time to call (when you are not at work) and phone number and include the topic area.

Your call will be held in the strictest of confidence and referred to our nurse consultant who will be able to counsel you in your workplace concerns. Please note that ONA's nurse consultant does not provide representation.

Do you have a poster or a flyer that I can post in the break room?
Yes, Click here for the
PDF Poster (prints on letter size paper)
JPG File of the Poster (you can use this on your website or in other material. Follow the link, open the "File" pull-down of your browser, then use the "save as" function)

Oklahoma Nurses Association

Workplace Advocacy Consultant Service

Consultant’s Report

Following screening by the ONA staff, the consultant will be contacted by telephone. All calls will be logged into the Workplace Advocacy Consultation Service data base.
The consultant will return call within one working day, completing the Consultant Documentation Form immediately.
The Consultant Documentation Form will be maintained by the consultant in confidential files. Duplicates of the these forms will not be retained by ONA Office.
All consultations will be conducted by telephone.
Follow up will be initiated by the member. Consultants will not initiate follow up calls. Nonmembers will be sent membership information.
Requests for a second consultation will be a privilege extended to ONA members only. Non-member follow up calls will not be taken.
ONA members in need of follow up consultation may contact the ONA office.
Information communicated to the consultant will be held in strictest confidence.
A quarterly report will be made by the Consultant. Contents of this report will include: the number of consultations, trending of call volume, trending of types/issues reported. No trending by region, hospital, local will be made. In addition, no identifying information about “consultees” will be trended or reported.

Oklahoma Nurses Association

Workplace Advocacy Program

Consultant Guidelines

The purpose of the ONA Consultation Service is to provide the ONA member with assistance in learning to resolve workplace issues.

General Assistance includes:

Emphasis is on empowering nurses to advocate for themselves using the resources available in the workplace and or community
Alternatives are presented, with the member selecting the most appropriate solution(s) for the situation
Careful adherence to professional norms, referring issues beyond the scope of this service to a more appropriate source (ie: legal consul, employee assistance counselor, nurse peer assistance) is expected.

Types of Issues that may be addressed:

Staffing
Unsafe working conditions - equipment, supplies, patient
Staff rights - sexual harassment, mandatory over time
Pay, benefits
Ethical or legal issues

Appropriate Interventions:

Direct the caller to use the chain of command within the work setting to address conflict, disagreement with an assignment
Assistance in documenting concerns in the form of memo, letter or other written communication
Assistance in determining what or how to document in the individual’s personal records
Refer callers to respective Human Resource Department, Employee Assistance, Corporate Compliance Office
Assistance in initiating a discussion with supervisor or human resource contact (ie: role play)
Identify any obvious required reporting to Health Department, Board of Nursing or other regulatory agency (ie: patient abuse, fraud)
Discuss the ramifications for “whistle blowing” and or reporting agency facts to the media

Consultant Guidelines:

The telephone will be the only acceptable medium for interacting with the client
The consultant will not meet with the client, go with them to discuss issues at the place of employment, write letters or other documents for the individual
The consultant will not make contact with the place of employment through any means.
All contacts will be held in the strictest of confidence. (Information regarding the client, employer, patients, supervisors or staff will not be discussed)
All written documentation will be kept secured, and in strictest confidence

Workplace Consultant