Nurses walk off job at Tweed District Hospital demanding patient ratios

Nurses have taken industrial action at the Tweed District Hospital demanding patient ratios, higher skilled staff and better pay. ***WATCH THE VIDEO***

Update 5.30pm:

Nurses at the Tweed District Hospital have walked off the job on Wednesday afternoon demanding a set patient to staff ratio comparable to that in Queensland.

New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' Association Tweed Hospital Branch President Kristin Ryan-Agnew said the union had been negotiating for years for safer working conditions across the entire state.

“People are getting sicker and sicker, people are living longer and there just are not enough nurses on the floor,” Ms Ryan-Agnew said.

The low staff numbers mean nurses at the Tweed have been working up to 16 hour shifts on overtime and still being required to attend work the next day.

“They’re exhausted,” the nurse of 38 years said.

“We have the added problem we are so close to the border and Queensland has better working conditions.

“They have ratios.”

She said along with Queensland’s one nurse to four patients ratio, staff were leaving to go across the border for more education support for junior staff and higher pay for registered nurses.

The Tweed hospital has 1 to 6 ratios in the emergency department and in specialty areas but not in the wards.

Ms Ryan-Agnew said midwives have an added problem that babies are not counted as patients – another demand of the union.

“If you’re a midwife and you’re looking after five new mums, two could have just had caesareans, you’ve got potentially five babies, the mums could be particularly unwell and if the babies are unwell the nurses are expected to look after them.

“On paper you’re looking after five ladies but in fact you’re looking after 10.”

Other demands from the nurses include for ratios to be based on the needs of the patient, for example a patient who has just been in surgery would be higher need than others.

They’re also asking for a wound care specialist, nurse education support for junior staff and a permanent skilled pool of nurses.

Currently the Tweed has 10 permanent staff who are majority junior staff which Ms Ryan-Agnew said was an issue when they’re placed into an area they’re unfamiliar with and don’t have the support for their level of skill.

“Nurses just want to be able to provide safe care so we can do the best job we can with the best patient outcomes,” she said.

“That’s why we became nurses.

“This cannot go on in this current format, something will happen.”

She asked the community to write to their local member and ask for better conditions.

“We’re going to lose all our staff and its frightening,” she said.

“Why would you stay in an environment where your work isn’t recognised when you can just drive over the border and get much better conditions?”

The staff have ensured the hospital is safe for patients with skeleton staff while the industrial action has occurred.

The Northern New South Wales Health District and member for Tweed Geoff Provest have both been contacted for comment.

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Update 3.45pm:

Nurses and Midwives have walked off the job at the Tweed District Hospital over staff to patient ratios.

The strike actions is from 3pm to 7pm.

Initial:

Nurses and midwives at the Tweed District Hospital are threatening to walk off the job as early as this afternoon over staff to patient ratios.

Inside sources have confirmed the members of the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives Association at the Tweed Hospital are in a meeting this afternoon to discuss possible industrial action over staffing concerns and calls for nurse-to-patient ratios in NSW.

Staff may walk off the job Wednesday afternoon.

More to come.