‘It’s no wonder so many are walking off the job’: Why NSW nurses have had enough

At least 5000 nurses across NSW defied an Industrial Relations Commission ruling on Tuesday to march down Macquarie Street in Sydney’s CBD to demand the introduction of mandated staff-to-patient ratios across the state’s hospitals.

The ruling was made on Monday afternoon after NSW Health argued the strike risked public safety. But according to Debbie Ross, the Sydney branch secretary of the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, striking is the only way they can demand better care for patients and public safety.

At least 5000 NSW nurses marched in Sydney’s CBD on Tuesday to demand the implementation of staff-to-patient ratios in the state’s hospitals.Credit: Renee Nowytarger

A registered nurse, Ms Ross is sick of hearing the NSW government say the state’s hospital system is “coping”.

“The pandemic has been the magnifying glass that’s exposed how dire the situation is, but the current strain we’re seeing in NSW hospitals has been coming for decades,” she said.

Ms Ross argues the NSW government should be able to see the benefits of staff-to-patient ratios in other states.

“Mandates mean patient complications are down, patient safety is maintained, there are fewer falls in hospitals, there are fewer readmissions and next to no absenteeism, let alone the benefits to staff morale,” she said.

Victoria legislated a minimum of one nurse to four patients in 2001. In 2016, the Queensland government endorsed a minimum of one nurse to four patients for morning and afternoon shifts and one nurse for seven patients for night shifts in the state’s public health services.

Research by Queensland University of Technology’s School of Nursing and the University of Pennsylvania’s Centre for Health Outcomes and Policy Research into the effects of the state’s mandate revealed up to $70 million in public cost savings and at least 145 lives saved in the five years since the policy was introduced.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Central Coast casual nurse Lana said she was been haunted by the sound of patients as she tries to get to them all.

“I drive home and hear the echo of a skull hitting the floor, there’s nothing like that sound when you know they’ve fallen because you couldn’t get there,” she said, her voice cracking.

“When there’s one of me and often nine to 10 patients, how can I watch someone’s mum on the toilet, medicate someone’s dad, feed someone’s child and also answer the phone all at the same time with no break or support?”

The NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Assoaction argues the Perrottet government only needs to see the benefits of staff-to-patient ratios in other states.Credit: Peter Rae

Mount Druitt emergency nurse Michael was adamant he cannot keep working with so few staff. “The best level of care I can provide at the moment is Band-Aid fixes and priority nursing. That means if you’re not the sickest patient in my department you will be neglected,” he said.

He’s also frustrated healthcare workers must dip into their leave entitlements if they contract COVID-19 at work.

“I had to use my sick leave for getting COVID-19, which is part and parcel of the job at the moment,” he said. “Inferior pay, support and leave, it’s no wonder so many are walking off the job.

For anesthetic nurse Kelsey from Wollongong Hospital, 2020’s “year of the nurse” campaign was an empty platitude. “In 2020 we’re heralded as heroes while our pay rises are frozen, in 2021, I ended up working in ICU because theatres were shut down, and now we’re two years into the pandemic and no change,” she said.

Kelsey was unsurprised so many nurses have left the profession. “We need a pay rise, not for ourselves but to make the job more attractive to new staff, but honestly mandates are essential both for us and the patients,” she said.

A spokesperson for NSW Health said the current “nursing hours per patient day” system used under the award is a “more flexible ratio which enables hospitals to increase staffing to ensure safe and effective care”.

“The flexible ratio system used in NSW Health is a multifaceted approach and considers the numbers of patients, their complexity, acuity and care needs whilst allowing for the professional judgment of nurses and managers to adjust staffing levels to reflect the changing care needs of patients,” the spokesperson said.

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