About 40 Broken Hill nurses and midwives took part in a statewide strike today over pay, conditions and staffing ratios.
Staff gathered for an hour opposite Broken Hill Hospital from 10am, along with thousands of others around New South Wales, to call on the government to address their concerns.
Mental health inpatient unit worker Keira Boxsell said nurses were at an increased risk of burnout and compassion fatigue because of their heavy workloads.
She said there was the risk of a collapse in the workforce if something wasn't done.
"It's already very evident in our local hospital," Ms Boxsell said.
"Lots of nurses are doing overtime shifts and double shifts constantly and people are leaving.
'Ratios save lives'
Broken Hill healthcare workers said nurse-to-patient ratios needed to be put in place across the state.
They wanted to see ratios of one-to-three in emergency departments and paediatric wards and one-to-four in medical and surgical wards.
Broken Hill Nurses and Midwives Association branch secretary Breeanna Braga said staff across the state were overworked and doing an incredible amount of overtime.
"We're understaffed," she said.
"We've been calling to get ratios in NSW for years and yet we still don't have those.
"Ratios save lives, essentially.
"It's quite devastating, really — it's unsafe."
Broken Hill Hospital ED worker Jill Keft said staffing pressure meant patients could be waiting hours to receive care.
"It's just not optimal and they're being cared for by, quite often, very junior staff because we don't have the seniors anymore — people are leaving," she said.
"I wish that the government would stop saying we're 'coping.'
District 'grateful' for action's length
Far West Local Health District chief executive Umit Agis said the body supported the workers' right to take action
He said the decision to only strike for an hour showed how dedicated staff were to caring for patients.
"It goes to show our nurses' commitment to their community by taking the one-hour option," he said.
"There were a number of options that could've been taken — one hour, six hours or 12 hours.
