‘There is no vaccine to curb overcrowding and a broken system’
Nursing crisis grows with up to 3,000 health workers out sick as morale sinks
MINISTERS have been warned of a mounting nursing crisis in the country’s hospitals as health authorities struggle to recruit staff to replace those who quit during Covid.
Hospital leaders say the nursing shortfall has been worsened by a collapse in the numbers of recruits from Europe and further afield.
Hundreds of nursing shifts each week cannot be filled due to staff shortages, mainly as a result of unfilled vacancies and up to 3,000 healthcare workers currently on sick leave.
President of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation Karen MacGowan said she has never seen the level of fatigue and burnout among staff that she is witnessing now.
Ms McGowan, an emergency department nurse, said despite being over the worst of Covid-19, hospitals are experiencing a triple attack on their ability to provide care due to a staff exodus, increased overcrowding and exhaustion. ‘I’m working in emergency departments for 14 years and I don’t think it has ever been as bad as it is now.
‘And you know we would have talked about fatigue and burnout over the years but the level it’s at now is incomparable. It’s unreal.
‘During the pandemic, we had hope because of the vaccination programme and there was a sense of light at the end of the tunnel. But now there’s no vaccination to curb the overcrowding and a broken system. As the travel restrictions are easing we’re seeing staff that couldn’t leave during the pandemic, for the likes of Australia, are going now. We’re seeing a big return to the age-old problem of overcrowding in hospitals and that is really exacerbated by the staffing levels. There is exhaustion while still treating people with Covid and we have overcrowding on top of this.’
The huge shortfall of nurses, GPs and hospital consultants is seriously hampering HSE efforts to reduce waiting times and trolley figures.
While there are no exact figures for the numbers of nurses leaving the profession, research published by the INMO last October found 68% of its members considered quitting, with 25% ‘likely’ or ‘very likely’ to do so within 12 months.
A recent study published in the Social Science and Medicine journal found growing pressure on GP practices with an estimated 1,200 doctors needed to cater for demand.
The MoS also recently published documents obtained under Freedom of Information which revealed the Public Appointments Service is experiencing major difficulties recruiting consultants, with not a single application for nine highly paid positions advertised last year.
In the UK, the NHS recently confirmed unfilled posts in its hospitals have topped 110,000.
As the recruitment crisis deepens, the number of patients left waiting for a hospital bed are on the rise. Latest trolley figures show more than 500 patients a day on average are waiting for care in hospitals so far this month. An increase on February’s 493 average and January’s 431.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly this week acknowledged emergency departments are under intense pressure. He described the situation during a recent visit to the emergency department at University Hospital Galway as ‘not acceptable’ for patients or staff.
However, Ms MacGowan – an advanced nurse practitioner at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital – has called for scheduled care to private hospitals to free beds for emergency patients. ‘What is needed is extra ward beds and extra capacity to relieve pressure. The flow of patients needs to be looked at and extending the work day for diagnostic care would alleviate pressure.’
Asked for comment on burnout among its clinical staff, the HSE said the ‘immense effort’ of its staff ‘in response to the pandemic’ meant they can ‘feel depleted in lots of different ways’ It pointed to a campaign by the Employee Assistance Programme to raise awareness of supports availabel to those at risk of burnout. The Department of
Health did not respond to
requests to comment.
‘Fatique and burnout level is worst it’s ever been
‘Extra beds and extra capacity is needed’