The Portuguese Nurses' Union warned today that nursing cover at the Algarve’s Lagos hospital is on the point of collapse.
The director of the Algarve Central Hospitals management has responded to pleas for more nurses saying he is committed to “resolving the situation,” and already has asked the Ministry of Health for permission to hire more staff.
"Of the 31 nurses that work at Lagos hospital, ten are sick or on maternity leave, which has consequences for patient care and other medical staff," the union claimed, adding that the only solution had been to reduce the number of nurses per shift.
On the current night-shift, nursing cover should be four nurses for 40 patients. This has been reduced to three nurses, and "on March 28th it was expected that only two nurses will be on duty. That is a ratio dropping from one nurse for 10 patients to one nurse for 20 patients. Neither is at the 'minimum service’ level," said the union spokesperson.
The Ministry of Health says the hospital should have 50 nurses for the approved cover level - there are 20. The union blames the Health Minister, especially as during a visit in September last year, Paulo Macedo was made well aware of the impending and totally predictable nursing staff situation and claimed he would ‘verify the situation’ – one step short of doing something about it, but he can not claim to be unaware.
The nursing union now wants Macedo, "to explain to family members and patients, some of whom are over 75 years and totally dependent, why they are not entitled to good medical care."
Pedro Nunes, the chairman of the board of the Algarve Central Hospitals group, commented, "The board of the Algarve Central Hospitals has asked the Ministry of Health for the authorisation required for the recruitment of nurses. The Ministry of Health recognises the importance of reinforcing the number of professional and of authorising new contracts, we are waiting now for the process to be finalised.”
To ensure the best patient care at Lagos hospital, Nunes has authorised overtime “where necessary” but in the meantime anotrher staffing problem is in his lap, yet again.
