Dublin: The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organization’s Work and Wellbeing Survey has revealed that two-thirds of nurses in Ireland are considering leaving their jobs due to overwork and stress due to understaffing. INMO is warning the government that the health sector will collapse unless fundamental changes are made in policy approaches.
Nurses are forced to work more hours and shifts than the roster allows. Many nurses are not even paid for this excessive hardship. More than 15% of nurses work more than 20 hours a month without pay. One in eight nurses visit a GP because of workplace stress!
Nurses and midwives are extremely stressed. The survey provides clear data on all the crises in the health sector, from those who are working without pay to those who are worried about having to leave their jobs. Yet neither the government nor the HSE is ready to intervene to solve the problem.
Patient safety is the top concern of 90% of nurses. The stress caused by this is very harmful. In the survey, nurses revealed that 63% of nurses in the health sector have even thought about leaving their jobs.
Phil Ni Shigdha, general secretary of the union, said there was clear data on the negative impact unsafe staffing had on patients.
Health professionals are doing everything they can to improve services. They pointed out that the government and HSE should increase the bed capacity and staffing quota.
INMO president Karen McGowan said the survey showed that nurses and midwives in Ireland are fighting for survival. Karen McGowan said health workers are still on the job, facing the brunt of the Covid pandemic. Nurses are playing a game in the midst of crisis.