Qld’s frontline horror revealed in heartbreaking message to nurses

A heartfelt message from a nursing unit manager to nurses at one of the state’s busiest hospitals has revealed the true impact the Covid crisis is having on our healthcare workers, with even worse expected to come. READ THE MESSAGE

Frontline workers are at breaking point with leaked communication from management at a Brisbane hospital revealing the facility is under duress without the support hoped for and minimum staffing levels.

The revelation comes as the state’s chief health officer Dr John Gerrard warned Queensland was weeks away from a major health emergency.

‘Cry if you need’ was the directive received by nurses at QEII Jubilee Hospital in a raw message from their unit manager this week.

Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Hospital in Coopers Plains on Brisbane’s southside.

There are 99 members of the healthcare staff in Covid isolation at the metro hospital which is operating at Tier Three pandemic response — as are all of the hospitals in the Metro South area.

“Please be aware that we are in Tier 3 Pandemic. The entire hospital and HHS is under duress and staffing is at a minimum. We will not have the most ideal ratios, nor will we have the support we had hoped for … however we do have each other. Prioritise tasks. Take extra breaks, talk to each other, cry … whatever you need,” the message read.

The manager went on to praise her staff’s hard work.

Directive for nurses at QEII Jubilee Hospital

COVID UPDATE

Hi everyone -

Please be aware that we are in Tier 3 Pandemic. The entire hospital and HHS is under duress and staffing is at a minimum.

We will not have the most ideal ratios nor will we have all the support we had hoped for... however we do have each other.

Prioritise tasks. Take extra breaks; talk to each other, cry... whatever you need.

Whatever you need from me, let me know. Your hard work is appreciated.

Anyone interested in an extra shift at anytime, please let us know ASAP. 

The frontliners have sacrificed Christmas with their families, holidays and even dinner with their children to care for Queenslanders.

While Metro South Hospital and Health Service has revealed to The Courier-Mail that all of their hospitals, including QEII Hospital, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Logan Hospital, Redland Hospital and Beaudesert Hospital, are on Tier Three response, Queensland Health said they could not yet confirm how many hospitals around the state were also on Tier Three.

EXPLAINED: Hospitals' pandemic response

Tier 0 Minimum preparedness
Tier 1 Mild Clinical Severity 
Tier 2 Moderate Clinical Severity 
Tier 3 High Clinical Severity
Tier 4 Extension of tier three (eg virtual care boost, conversion of more wards to Covid)
Tier 5 When virus spread exceeds capacity and significant cases in community

*each hospital will have a different response as drawn up by Queensland Health

Dr Gerrard said the health system is preparing for a major emergency amid forecasts of thousands of Covid hospitalisation in the coming weeks.

There are now 284 people in hospital being treated for Covid, including 12 in intensive care.

Queensland has recorded 10,332 new Covid cases and one death in what authorities say is a ‘gross underestimation’ of the real spread

“The fact that it (the Omicron variant) is very infectious means we’re going to see a very large number of people in the next two to three weeks getting infected, and also impacting on our hospitals,” he said.

“That’s bad in one sense, but also means … it is likely to end sooner.

“To all of my (health) colleagues, we’re going to be stepping up to a very major emergency in the coming two to three weeks.”

Dr Gerrard suggested staff would be reallocated to Covid wards to assist with the expected wave of cases.

“There may well be that young doctors who might be working in surgical wards will be reallocated to work in Covid wards,” he said.

The Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union secretary Beth Mohle said she is not surprised by the message sent to nurses.

“Nurses are a collective bunch, they look after each other. It is relationships in the ward that will get them through. They are running on empty. In unprecedented times like this we hope the value of nurses is evident. They should be respected and invested in,” she said.

Ms Mohle said of course she was worried about the mental health of nurses and has been since the beginning of the pandemic.

“Overseas in some places up to a quarter of the nursing workforce have quit under the pressures but so far we haven’t seen that level of cases in Queensland,” she said.

The Nurses’ Professional Association of Queensland (NPAQ) secretary Aenghas Hopkinson-Pearson said he was very concerned about the mental health of nurses.

“The foreseeable chronic understaffing resulting from standing down nurses has resulted in overworked, burnt out and understandably mentally distressed nurses now considering changing careers and exacerbating the problem. Who can blame them? Nurses have been Palaszczuk’s punching bag throughout this entire pandemic,” he said.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli said frontline workers had been calling for help for months.

“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve asked pertinent and responsible questions about whether Queensland Health was ready for Covid.

“Frontline healthcare workers have been crying out for months for help and now they’re forced to cry on each other’s shoulders because of the State Government’s failure to plan.

“We’re calling on the State Government to empower our frontline staff to take back control and fix the Queensland Health crisis,” he said.