Hello everyone,

This is your RT department speaking. We were informed on Friday (January 30th) that the RT department is going to be dissolved due to “budget cuts and scheduling” and that all existing responsibilities that we have can be achieved through the BHTs.  I’m sure you will be just as surprised as we were to hear about this change.  Essentia Health is once again excluding us from conversations that affect us directly  

We know of course BHTs can provide good groups but if you think this change is a mistake, unsafe and or goes against Essentia Health’s core values please sign this petition to send a message to Essentia that we don’t want this change and help ALL of our voices be heard. Giving someone who already has a lot of responsibilities more responsibilities is unsafe, inefficient and a disservice to our patients.  BHTs and RTs are separate for a reason so BHTs can focus on floor responsibilities and RTs can focus on developing skill based groups. We’re trained different, and are separate to ensure we can provide patients the safest and most therapeutic help during their times of crisis.  This change also goes against standards practiced at every other inpatient unit. If you were to investigate other inpatient settings they also have separate departments to ensure they can provide the same quality of care. Saying BHTs job and RTs job can be done solely by one department does not promote their mission of quality or teamwork.

Please share this petition with everyone we work with so their voices can be heard as well. 

Thank you!

-RT Department