Substantial number of COVID cases will result in 'disastrous situation' - MUMN

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) said on Saturday that it is concerned over the high number of COVID-19 cases being reported on a daily basis.

“Such increase will definitely have a negative impact on all hospitals including primary care, elderly institutions and Mater Dei Hospital and will be to the detriment of the patients and the staff.”

Such increase in numbers will result in more patients being admitted to hospitals, the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said.

Pressure on the existing nursing workforce, especially in the ITU, is already leaving adverse effects, MUMN said. “With all the hype in the media of having 75 ITU beds in Mater Dei

Hospital and 25 beds in the Gozo General Hospital, we would like to inform the public that there are no sufficiently trained nurses available to attend to such a huge number of ITU beds in both hospitals.”

“It is not just the number of ITU beds which is important. What is also important is that every ITU bed requires highly specialist nurses to manage ventilators and intensive nursing care.” The MUMN said that it has requested a meeting with Mater Dei Hospital management over this serous issue, “since ultimately the nurses will suffer with the patient paying the ultimate price.”

The MUMN is appealing both to the public and to the government. “Enforcement and adherence to hand washing, social distancing and wearing of masks is especially important, but at the same time MUMN is expecting the Government to consider other measures which other European countries are following. Eventually such a huge number of COVID-19 cases arising will be catastrophic both for the health sector and for the economy.”