Community nurse: No change since I striked 19 years ago. It’s now worse
A COMMUNITY nurse working throughout East Wicklow echoed national sentiment within the sector that drastic change is required for both nursing staff and patients.
The nurse, who is based in the south of the county and travels to see patients in their homes, said she was keen to stand with her fellow nurses who are under ‘severe pressure’ in hospital settings.
‘I stood on strike 19 years ago outside the Mater Hospital and nothing has changed. It has only gotten worse. I moved from the private sector to take my current job, for a variety of reasons, and I took a massive cut in pay to do so,’ she said.
The nurse said that the service is massively oversubscribed and that she and colleagues would prefer to have more time to devote to each patient.
‘We might spend an hour with a patient but there could also be an hour of paperwork which must be done very carefully and thoroughly. It is so important,’ she said.
She added that the current conditions within the health system, coupled with low pay are driving highly qualified nurses away.
‘Young newly qualified nurses simply won’t put up with it. They are all leaving to go abroad or else retraining in other areas. They are all highly educated and have their degrees but they are not valued. There is no incentive to stay in Ireland,’ she said.
(By Deborah Coleman)