Australian Nursing College CEO professor Kylie Ward pens open letter to Victorian nurses fighting COVID-19
An emotional letter has been sent out to “tired, worried” Victorian nurses who are fighting the deadly disease every day
Australian College of Nursing chief executive Professor Kylie Ward has penned a heartfelt open letter to nurses across Victoria as healthcare workers battle fatigue.
The letter followed an “overwhelming” stream of concerns and comments to an Australian College of Nursing survey aimed at hearing the concerns of healthcare workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 1500 responses in just 48 hours were received, with “many more” concerns and comments continuing to stream in daily.
“I want you to know we hear you, we are here for you, and you are not alone,” Prof Ward wrote.
“I want all Australians to know that each of you, as nurses, choose to turn up and deliver care to keep Victorians safe. Throughout our history of war, famine, fire, floods and now a pandemic, nurses have selflessly sacrificed, with nobility and humility. As economies crumble and familiarity fades nurses find courage and conviction to fulfil our professional responsibilities.
“It is time all Victorians understand what nurses need the community to do – to protect themselves, follow the rules and to keep safe. Your work is critical and valued and we appreciate everything you do.”
Prof Ward said nurses had expressed they were “tired, worried and weary” and urgent action was needed in the following areas:
- Finding solutions so nurses don’t have to wear uniforms home
- A safe place to share your concerns and unload the mental burden with someone skilled for front line workers
- Excessive paperwork and bureaucracy. You want those at the top to listen and support you, rather than control and command you … or worse, ignore you
- Educating people so they stop judging us if we get the virus; we live in the community and are at risk like everyone else.
“We recognise the sacrifices you are making. And we are working hard in the background to make things better,” Prof Ward wrote.
“We are here for the long game; but it will take time to recover and emerge as a new nation, with new ways of working and new ways of being.”
The Australian College of Nursing is in the midst of compiling a national COVID-19 strategy response aimed at addressing the concerns nurses are facing.
It comes after damning survey results from the Royal Australasian College of Physicians found 20 per cent of doctors in public hospitals were forced to provide their own PPE.
“It‘s not good enough that one in five have limited access to surgical masks. It’s remarkable that some are resorting to sourcing their own PPE,” RACP president Professor John Wilson said.
“This is a troubling warning sign of what may be coming for our medical workforce.”
There are 1065 infected healthcare workers in Victoria.
Premier Daniel Andrews said the most powerful thing the rest of the community could do for healthcare workers was to follow the rules.
“In many respects the most powerful thing we can all do, is to follow the rules, play our individual part and do our bit to make sure that there are less people in hospital, and not more, and that’s the best way to say thank you to our nurses, to our doctors, to our ambos and to all the other non-clinical workers who are still part of the essential functioning of every single healthcare setting,” he said.
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