Nurse shortage at Ballarat Base Hospital as a result of Covid

Ballarat nurses are exhausted, too tired to work or considering changing careers, as the pandemic takes its toll.

Nurses in Ballarat are exhausted and not turning up for shifts while others quit to chase a more sustainable career.

One nurse who spoke to The Ballarat News said nurses were being forced to look after six patients at any one time, instead of the Australian-approved nurse-to-patient ratio of three.

The Ballarat Health Services nurse, who asked not to be named, said nurses were already overworked, tired and stressed as a result of the pandemic, they said.

“Many casual nurses have been turning down shifts during Covid leaving permanent nurses to carry the extra load,” they said.

“How are we going to cater for extra Covid beds when we are already struggling to cover sick leave and are constantly breaching ratios?

“Where are the extra staff coming from? The staff shortage has been an issue from even before the pandemic started.”

The nurse said staff were working through meal breaks and working late hours to keep up.

BHS Executive director, Acute Operates Ben Kelly, said it’s been tough to recruit nurses lately

Ballarat Health Services said it had been difficult to recruit hospital staff.

Ben Kelly, the executive director of acute care at Ballarat Health, said staff had a right to feel upset.

“We regularly meet with the ANMF (Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation), and concerns about employee levels are genuine,” he said.

“The last thing anybody wants is for people to be operating in an unsafe environment, that’s not okay.

“We are trying to get the best plan in place, acknowledging though that the workforce is limited — it is restricted, and to be honest quite tired.”

Mr Kelly said staff concerns were valid and heard.

“We need to work through those issues,” he said.

“Absolutely, it’s been tough to recruit nurses lately.”

Mr Kelly said the hosptal had been providing nurses for vaccinations and testing response.

“We need other health care workers to take up the charge there and allow qualified nurses to come back to the hospital,” Mr Kelly said.