Commissioner Finding: Listen to Nurses

Media Release:

Commissioner Finding: Listen to Nurses

Listening to nurses is one of the keys to preventing tragedies like those that occurred at North Shore Hospital in 2007, according to the Health and Disability Commissioner’s report released today. The New Zealand Nurses Organisation wholeheartedly supports the Commissioner’s view.

“Nurses are frequently in situations where the weight of demands for their attention is greater than the support available to them. This is what happened at North Shore Hospital. In these situations it is not possible for any nurse to do all the things that are required,” NZNO chief executive officer Geoff Annals said.

“What we must is protect patient care by ensuring nurses are not left to struggle against the odds, as these nurses at North Shore Hospital were.

“The Commissioner correctly identifies the need for DHB boards and chief executives to pay close attention to what nurses are saying and to give them the resources and authority to do the work of nursing that is at the heart of every health service. Put nurses in charge of nursing. Let nurses plan and deliver nursing care.

“To slightly alter the Commissioner’s words; Let nurses take the steps needed to improve nursing care, in particular to better predict workload and match nursing resources, to release nurses’ time to care, to emphasise the importance of caring and compassion, and to ensure a more systematic approach to nursing care,” Annals said.

While sympathising with the funding plight of DHB boards and chief executives, Annals urged them to take careful note of the Commissioner’s warning that ‘it is not enough for a board simply to toll the bell of scarce resources to excuse itself from liability under the Code.’

ENDS

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