The number of nurses who state that inadequate staffing numbers in their workplaces is putting patient safety at risk “needs to be a wake-up call”, nurses have told Health Minister Stephen Donnelly.
Karen McGowan, President of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) told delegates at the final day of the group’s annual conference in Kerry that the hospital system “sleep-walked into a summer trolley crisis”.
Figures released on Friday showed that 551 people were waiting for a bed in Irish hospitals.
READ MORE: Ireland reaches full employment as unemployment rates drop to record low
During his own speech at the conference, Minister Donnelly said that the health service will recruit over 800 extra nurses and healthcare assistants so that safe nurse staffing can be rolled out in every hospital.
In response, Ms McGowan said that issues around staff shortages have been raised by the INMO for several years and are impacting patients’ safety.
She accused the Government and the HSE of being “slow to act”.
“Since the last time you addressed this conference over 128,084 patients have been treated on trolleys or chairs while waiting for a hospital bed,” Ms McGowan said.
“That is absolutely shocking and something that your Government should not be willing to stand over.
“Our hospital system sleepwalked into a summer trolley crisis. During that time all signs were pointing toward a winter of chaos. We know that all too well because the INMO were the ones sounding the warning call.
“Minister, why is it when the nursing profession is calling it for what it is that you, your colleagues in Government and the HSE are so slow to act?
“When we flag these issues we are not trying to be agitators or chasing a headline. We have a duty to provide safe care to patients and if we feel we cannot do that we are going to call it out.
“The failure to act on our stark warnings led to a winter like no other in our health service.”
Ms McGowan contended that nurses and midwives had been “traumatised” going into hospitals in December and January when trolley numbers were at record highs. Numbers peaked at 931 in early January.
She said that overcrowding is no longer confined to emergency departments and trolleys are also being placed on wards. It is also having impacts, she said, on ICU and other departments.
Ms McGowan continued: “The findings of our recent Nursing and Midwifery Work and Wellbeing survey found that 97% believe that inadequate staffing levels in their workplace is putting patient safety at risk and 74% consider leaving their current work area, with most citing exhaustion, stress and staffing levels as reason.
“This needs to be a wake-up call – making safe staffing happen must be as much of a priority for you as it is for us.”
Ms McGowan also raised concerns about housing for INMO members, stating that several nurses have had to move jobs due to the current crisis.
She also said that the “State should hang its head in shame at the accommodation” that nurses coming to work in Ireland are being forced to live in.
READ NEXT:
- Man who stunned Regency Trial with evidence about getaway driver insists he did not lie to the court
- Additional tickets released for Katie Taylor v Chantelle Cameron ranging from €258 to €1,525
- Ged McKenna - who cleaned up house where Keane Mulready-Woods was murdered - walks free from prison
- 'Thundery downpours' and 'spot flooding' predicted in Met Eireann weekend forecast
- Claire Byrne rules herself out of the running to be the next host of The Late Late Show
