NSWNA: 1 nurse : 4 patients - The way to safe patient care
Published: 21 November 2010
Safer patient care is the only issue as determined nurses and midwives prepare to strike for nurse-to-patient ratios
More than 180 NSWNA branches endorse strike action
Nurses and midwives at more than 170 public hospitals and community health services will strike this Wednesday, 24 November, in support of nurse-to-patient ratios that will provide safer patient care in the over-stretched NSW hospital and healthcare system.
Nurses and midwives at another 10 facilities have endorsed the strike, but local staffing levels mean they cannot safely take strike action.
NSW Nurses Association (NSWNA) general secretary, Brett Holmes, said thousands of nurses and midwives will ignore attempts by the Health Department to intimidate them out of striking.
“They are very determined and will take a strong stand this Wednesday. They will show the State Government that nurses and midwives believe this is a pivotal moment for the NSW health system.
“Hospital management in NSW is getting away with a lot of questionable and, frankly, unsafe staffing arrangements because we do not have mandated, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios. The workloads’ management clause in the current NSW Nurses & Midwives Award is not proving rigorous enough to address the problem.
“For example, the NSW Health Department is replacing registered and enrolled nurses with assistants in nursing; it often delays and sometimes freezes nurse and midwife recruitment to meet budgets; it regularly refuses to replace nurses and midwives who are on leave; it has ratios as low as one nurse for every seven or eight patients in some places; and the list of staffing problems goes on.
“This puts nurses, midwives and patients at risk every day and things like medication error rates are rising. Nurses and midwives face daily disciplinary and legal risk because of this situation. They know that, as professionals, now is the time to act before things get any worse. They are determined to get justice for their patients and themselves,” Mr Holmes said.
Campaign background
The NSWNA’s 1 nurse : 4 patients - The way to safe patient care campaign seeks a major overhaul of the State’s public hospital and healthcare system, through the introduction of mandated, minimum nurse-to-patient ratios in public hospitals and community healthcare services.
NSWNA branches at nearly every public hospital and community health service have endorsed the ratios claim, which, if implemented, will be the biggest reform of the NSW public health system in decades.
The claim is for the introduction of minimum nurse-staffing ratios and a safe skill mix for the nursing specialties of medical, surgical, emergency, palliative care, rehabilitation, inpatient mental health, community health, community mental health, critical care and operating theatres.
In terms of maternity/birthing facilities, the NSWNA is awaiting a final announcement from NSW Health about adopting Birthrate Plus as a staffing model for Midwifery Services. Birthrate Plus is the generally accepted staffing ratio model for births per midwife in the UK and has been adapted for the NSW environment.
Ratio example
The mandated minimum-staffing ratios sought for general wards at most major hospitals are:
- Morning shift: One nurse per four patients + RN in charge
- Afternoon shift: One nurse per four patients + RN in charge
- Night shift: One nurse per seven patients
The skill mix for each ward or unit will include a minimum of 85 per cent Registered Nurses for each shift. In terms of clinical support, the ratio specified above does not include the following positions or classifications: Nursing Unit Manager, Clinical Nurse Educator, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Nurse Practitioner, administrative support staff and wardspersons.
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The full NSWNA ratios claim can be found at: www.nswnurses.asn.au/documents/28976.html Media representatives and the general public can get more information on the 1 nurse : 4 patients – The way to safe patient care campaign at: |
Strike details
The decision to strike on Wednesday represents a further escalation of the 1 nurse : 4 patients - The way to safe patient care campaign, which has so far also included radio and television advertising and lunchtime rallies outside hospitals.
During Wednesday’s strike, nurses and midwives will hold a Special General Meeting of the NSWNA at 11.30am at Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre Homebush, to hear a report back from NSWNA officers on the current state of negotiations with the State Government and endorse the next major steps in the campaign.
Striking nurses and midwives in regional and rural areas, who are unable to get to Sydney, will hold activities in their local area.
Current night duty staffing levels will be maintained at each facility during the strike and nurses and midwives will provide life-preserving services at all times.
This is the first Statewide nurses’ and midwives’ strike in NSW since October 2001.Contact:
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