A health emergency can present unique challenges for kinesiologists that extend beyond disruption to daily practice. In a health emergency such as a pandemic, kinesiologists may be re-deployed to another setting they are not familiar with or have never worked and asked to perform tasks outside their normal practice or personal sphere of competence. Kinesiologists may also be asked to manage a team of health professionals during a health emergency.
The Ontario Government has the authority to make orders directing the activities of regulated health professionals during health emergencies, including re-deployment. These orders can give employers such as hospitals and long-term care homes the authority to re-order staff priorities to address infection control, care of patients/clients and develop, modify, and implement re-deployment plans including:
- re-deploying staff within different locations in (or between) facilities;
- re-deploying staff to work in pandemic assessment centres;
- changing the assignment of work, including assigning non-bargaining unit employees or contractors to perform bargaining unit work;
- bringing in emergency service workers who did not previously work for the employer; and
- providing appropriate training or education as needed to staff to achieve the purposes of a re-deployment plan.
The following FAQs provide answers to questions received by the College during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of the questions and responses relate to care/service that did not involve assignment of controlled acts. For information on delegation and controlled acts, read the Practice Guideline- Scope of Practice, Controlled Acts and Delegation.
Health emergencies are fluid situations and information changes quickly. These FAQs will be updated as needed.