Nursing injustice at mhrc
We have heard the cries of nursing staff at MCMH but what about other faucets like MHRC? It is hurtful that the nurses of our nation suffer such problems due to the lack of support within the system. One of the biggest problems nurses face is unfair duty and burn out at mhrc.
Duty is set unfairly, it comes out late and requests aren’t honored. Now no one is saying that every time someone asks for a shift it can always be accommodated but the complete disregard to nursing staff needs is very disrespectful and there is proper way to do things. The Staff Nurse population at mental health is mostly female like most health facilities around the world. This means that there is a higher chance that the staff will be comprised of mothers who would request based on their access to child care and home support.
There have been numerous incidents where staff members would ask to work a specific shift and told no and later you see or hear colleagues given the shift you would have asked for repeatedly and was denied under guise of “the ministry or hospital does not allow that”. It is quite unfair and shows favoritism. It is always a losing game with management. On one hand mental health is under its own umbrella so they tend to say ‘things can’t be done like at hospital’ and on the other hand “hospital does it like this so we have to do it like this too” and it is always for their benefit.
Then there is the problem of staff to patient ratio. At mental health the census is very high EVERYDAY and some shifts would have one or two nurses to patient census of 45 plus and 100 plus ratio on each shift. Yes there would be a nursing assistant and nursing aides with the staff nurses but the staff to patient ratio is still very high based on evidence based practice and research. Tie in the fact that the nursing staff is not trained in psychiatry is very troubling.
The staff is expected to deliver high valued care to patients despite major setbacks such as medication scarcity, little to no equipment, MOLD on the wards that has been reported and still nothing has been done; while management discovered mold in their office building and it was sprayed and closed down immediately while the staff on the wards are expected to be present and show up to work and work around the very same mold that poses such health dangers. How are nurses to feel about things like that? It is a slap to the face and down right disrespectful.
Additionally, some persons within management treat staff poorly not by words alone but through neglect. Not showing up to their shifts on time, passing off their duties on to other staff all while expecting them to do their own nursing duties and are of no help on the ward area during shifts and emergencies. Yet these persons are required to evaluate nurses’ performance when they do not lead by example. Oftentimes lies are told on staff members and even when discovered nothing is done. It’s as if it is swept under the rug and the staff who may have reported the incident is labeled rude, disrespectful and difficult.
Mental health not being a priority to the ministry of health is already something and the nurses that work within those walls seem to not be a priority also; but it would do well to remember. Nurses who are burnt out will eventually become sick and a sick nurse cannot work. A Doctor can write orders but who ensures that the orders are done? A pharmacist may prescribe but
who ensures that medicine is given. When you aren’t getting enough attention, who is the advocate that ensures your needs are met? Be kind to your nurses a nation may very well be as wealthy as the nurses keep the citizens of that nation healthy.
