CONCERN for patient safety could force Wagga hospital to proceed with the closure of more surge beds on Friday, with nurses saying they are unable to cover staff shortages without putting lives at risk.
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The unprecedented industrial action comes after a series of meetings on Thursday meeting between nurses and local and district hospital management failed to reach a formal agreement over how to manage nurse shortages.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) said nurses at Wagga Hospital were working up to 70 hours of overtime per week.
The group had previously been negotiating with hospital management on a daily basis as to how many surge beds could be opened based on staff numbers.
The association’s Wagga Hospital branch president and nurse Natalie Ellis said the drastic decision was not made lightly, and came out of genuine concern care was being compromised.
“Our nurses strongly believe, at the moment, the levels of overtime and with the surge beds continuing to open, [it is] putting our family and our community at risk of an adverse outcome,” she said. “It is not merely the nurses whinging, this is actually an issue of staff safety and patient safety.”
Nursing staff were being left no option from hospital management but to work double shifts of 15 hours back to back, she said.
"As a professional, we have an obligation to be able to care for our patients and that this push of overtime is putting this at risk," Ms Ellis said.
"Staff just feel that they could more easily make a mistake when they are working these long hours.”
They also felt they could not take adequate meal breaks or were forced to eat on the job, with cover not available for these smaller periods of time, Ms Ellis said.
“Say in pediatrics, they will have to have their break on the ward and sit and eat at a desk because there is no-one to replace them,” she said.
NSWNMA assistant general secretary Judith Kiejda said discussions had failed.
“Our members have tried to resolve the issues with management on several occasions but it’s just not working,” she said. “There’s still unreasonable overtime being worked,which leads to fatigue, stress and increased sick leave.”
Late on Thursday afternoon, MLHD acting operations director Carla Bailey said some surge beds would be rostered and remain open as per an informal agreement with NSWNMA
