Nurse shortage hits KPH

Erica Virtue, Staff Reporter

AN ACUTE shortage of registered nurses (RNs) at the country's largest trauma centre, the Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) has shut down several critical functions at the institution, while causing others to be operating below capacity.

The shortage has also hit Victoria Jubilee Hospital (VJH) which delivers an average of 50,000 babies annually over the last five years and The Sunday Gleaner has been informed that at least two nurses have so far collapsed from exhaustion.

The latest incident occurred three weeks ago when a nurse at KPH collapsed after working three consecutive double shifts.

"She just collapsed one night after non-stop duties for days. Her feet became swollen and even after we massaged them she could not stand up for an hour and 23 minutes," a nurse there told The Sunday Gleaner last week.

Another nurse is said to have suffered a similar fate, having also worked several days of double shifts, but she was quickly revived.

"There is a major nursing problem," said Dr. Trevor MacCartney, Senior Medical Officer (SMO) of Health at the KPH. "There aren't any nurses available at all, as far as I'm aware and it affects every area," he admitted.

He said that he has written to the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) which has responsibility for the KPH/VJH and University Hospital, advising that body of the situation.

One function coming to a standstill is "additional eye surgery" at the ophthalmology theatre. The theatre, which remained closed because of a design error, is short of two specialist nurses.

Dr. MacCartney said he wrote to SERHA indicating the reason why the ophthalmology theatre could not be opened, but added that "regular eye surgery has not changed in any way." He said it was hoped that if the theatre was fully staffed it would expedite the increasing number of persons needing eye surgery.

In January, more than 600 patients were said to be waiting for surgery.

Other areas affected include the Intermediate Ward, (after intensive care and before regular ward) "...but there are other areas that we cannot open because of the shortage of nurses," he added.

The haemorrhage of nurses has been blamed on conditions of work, violence, high stress, and little job satisfaction.

The SMO said many individuals were of the opinion that nurses were emigrating but he pointed also to heavy internal migration, resignations, further studies and job opportunities. He said nurses were opting for work in other hospitals, studies, and other businesses.

"We are in a bit of a bind, and I do not see it getting better for now," he said.

Chief executive officer of the KPH/VJH, Errol Beckford, also admitted to the shortage.

"All I can tell you is that there is an acute shortage of nurses at KPH and VJH," he said.

General secretary of the Nurses Association of Jamaica Patricia Ivers, said the shortage was critical and it was affecting every hospital, but was crucial at KPH and VJH.

"It is more acute at KPH and VJH. What makes it so hard-felt there, is that the buck stops there. In addition to the patients who go there, they take emergencies and referrals," Mrs. Ivers said.

Commenting on the shortage of nurses in ophthalmology, she said, the course was not available in Jamaica and funds to train nurses were not available, neither from Government nor the private sector. This has resulted in nurses being over-worked and highly stressed. Specialist training for other areas in short supply could not be accessed because of lack of funds. But, training for registered nurses in critical care, operating theatre techniques and accident and emergency were available here, she said.

The Ministry of Health has said that the sector has been operating at 75 per cent for several years. Government's recognition of the nursing shortage has resulted in the recruitment of nurses from Cuba and Nigeria to complement those graduating from the Kingston School of Nursing and the University School of Nursing. A health official said three times the number of current graduates of approximately 120 per year, are needed to bring the sector up to its full capacity.

At the same time the recruitment of experienced nurses continues, and more than 600 nurses have left the island in the last five years.

The Sunday Gleaner was not able to ascertain the current number of nurses at the two hospitals. The overall figure needed versus existent staff complement could also not be ascertained. The Ministry of Health was unable to provide the statistics last week.

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