Cutting down on paramedics’ paperwork time slammed as ‘dangerous’
NSW Paramedics are being given less time to complete crucial paperwork, leaving staff stretched thing and under pressure to meet deadlines with the Health Service Union slamming the change as “dangerous”.
NSW
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Paramedics are being put under pressure to spend just 20 minutes completing medical records, restocking and sterilising equipment and cleaning the ambulance in between patients.
The Health Service Union have voiced concerns about patient safety after NSW Ambulance put out a directive to staff warning them they need to notify a Control Centre if they spend more than 15 minutes on “off stretcher” time.
The memo states the KPI for off stretcher time is 20 minutes.
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Off stretcher refers to the time paramedics have in between patients where they clean the ambulance, sterilise equipment and complete electronic medical records.
Paramedics told the Saturday Telegraph they have seen colleagues burst into tears trying to meet the deadlines.
NSW HSU Secretary Gerard Hayes told the Telegraph paramedics had previously been given 30 minutes to complete these tasks.
“I think it’s dangerous, when you do what is called a Code 2 which is a cardiac arrest, you’re dealing with a range of drugs, defibrillation … you’ve got a whole range of equipment that you’ve got to sterilise and you’ve got a medical electronic record which you have to make sure is absolutely accurate,” Mr Hayes said.
“I can tell you that paramedics are not sitting around in emergency departments trying to watch the cricket.
“Trying to cut things down and cut corners is going to produce poorer patients’ outcomes.”
Mr Hayes said he was encouraging his members to ignore the directive. The campaign against it is called “take five to survive”.
Paramedic and HSU NSW delegate Rob Harris told The Telegraph the directive was unreasonable and putting workers under pressure.
“As a frontline paramedic I’m extremely under pressure, when I did have half an hour that was hard enough but 20 minutes is just unrealistic,” Mr Harris said.
“I had another paramedic crying the other day over this … you have to restock medicine, deal with very sensitive medical information and often clean vomit.”
A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman, however, said the target had been in place for some time.
“For a number of years the make ready time at hospitals has had a target of 20 minutes,” she said.
“NSW Ambulance has recently clarified with the workforce that there may be cases where additional time may be required to satisfactorily complete duties.”
“NSW Ambulance remains happy to meet with unions to clarify”.
Originally published as Cutting down on paramedics’ paperwork time slammed as ‘dangerous’
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