Editorial
Time to tell the truth: We aren’t coping
I know the situation in hospitals and aged care facilities is incredibly tough and I’ve heard from members how frustrated and angry you’re feeling right now.
We are absolutely right to be furious with the NSW and Federal governments. Their actions and inactions have led us to this. Their persistence in saying the system is coping reveals a complete disregard for the truth.
It is outrageous that NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet continues to spin the lie that our public healthcare system is ‘strong’. He repeats this lie while you are exhausted, working excessive overtime and still remain short-staffed. Patient care is suffering.
It is unforgivable that aged care nurses are struggling to have access to appropriate PPE with many not even fit tested. It is outrageous that the Morrison government asks people to rely on RATs, knowing ordinary working families can’t get access to them. Diabolical that RATs are not available in nursing homes while many aged care residents still await their booster.
The NSWNMA will never stop advocating strongly on your behalf and fighting for improved working conditions across the public, private and aged care systems. Officers, Organisers and Branch officials are continuing to provide support to members concerned about sick leave, COVID isolation requirements, NSW Health directives.
Within January 2022 alone the NSWNMA has been supporting
- An average of 110 members per day with COVID-19 issues
- 80% of all member inquries have been related to COVID-19
Key issues raised with the NSWNMA
- Transmission in the workplace/workers compensation
- Leave entitlements
- Members being directed or pressured to return to work while symptomatic
- PPE advice & Fit-testing and infection control
- Workloads and Staffing levels
- Isolation requirements
- Redeployment
- Advice on government support payments
- Successful advocacy around workers’ compensation where a rapid antigen test is now sufficient to lodge a claim, instead of having to rely on a PCR test
I know you are angry, frustrated, fed up, and eager for change. We support the call that many are making for collective action. As your union we are continuing to fight for our members and provide support. I encourage all of you to get active, speak out, share your stories with us. Speak with your branch representatives or NSWNMA organisers to discuss the next steps.
While our health care systems may not be strong right now, nurses and midwives are strong. It is our goodwill holding these systems together and it will be our collective actions that can bring change.
More than ever before nurses and midwives are saying ‘Enough is Enough’ and they’re speaking out.
Since the start of the year, at least 40 members have spoken to media, either speaking on behalf of their branch or anonymously. This has led to hundreds and hundreds of stories on radio, online, TV and in newspapers making sure all our communities know what you are going through right now.
We will continue to ensure nurses and midwives can publicly speak the truth. But it is clear that stating the facts are not enough when we have state and federal governments continuing to deceive. The NSW government is the only one who can fix these problems. We will not forget this, and we will hold them to account.
Information is changing rapidly, and we are updating members through email and social media.
Please remember, if you need support your union is here for you. Do not hesitate to contact us.
In unity,
Shaye Candish
Acting General Secretary
NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association
Vicki Morrison says
I would guess that it is difficult for staff to muster the energy to take part in rallies and protests but why not use retired / semi retired but still members to bolster the numbers?
Katherine says
The Hidden Pandemic.
I consider myself semi-retired, that is, I will go to work if I am called, working as agency. However as I have said before, the great problem in nursing is middle management. Nurses will work until they drop, if treated with respect.
I personally cannot take this abuse anymore. Its the hidden pandemic in the job.
What I have found throughout my long and varied career, is that at the end of a gruelling day, you may expect to get kicked in the teeth by a middle manager. That is why nurses warn each other “to look after yourself first”, because when you have worked long and hard, and a middle manager is abusive and disrespectful to you, that is the worst blow of all.
A workplace with a manager like this, soon loses morale, staff become bitter and paranoid, disillusioned.
Its easy to identify, just ask nurses in private what the problem is, and they will soon tell you, because they are already considering their options.
Upper management are too slow to identify these people, and leave them in place too long.
The abusive middle manager is skilled and cunning with superiors, beating down the opposition, often with a liberal interpretation of the truth.
I believe the demoralisation of nurses and loss of nurses can be directly linked to poor management, who do not represent the nurses’ operational needs, staffing, and exploit the power gradient with disrespect and abuse.
A good middle manager, dealing directing with hard working nurses, is respectful, and thanks people. Communicating and listening, sympathising, in the middle of the many challenges.
I thank those people from the bottom of my heart.
Melissa says
I could not agree more. Often working in varied nursing roles in multiple health districts. I see people get management positions who may have the paperwork to qualify for the position, however they often lack the empathy to care for the staff they manage.
I see bullying and favouritism and then promotion after promotion of the same managers who are often the root cause of low staff morale and high staff turnover.
Hospitals have notices about no violence will be tolerated but it is.
When people respond to staff health surveys. The answer seems to be another campaign of rebranding and a new way to tell staff to just get on with your job. If you have nothing nice to say don’t say it. Most recently the lovely slogan above and below the line behaviour.
Which is from what I see implemented to have floor staff reprimanded and performance managed as always but the same managers continue to behave as always.
Dee Frustrated. says
The pandemic has really highlighted the already gruelling issues in this field. So many of us “juniors/ mid” nurses/midwives are considering leaving.
How can we or the union make changes when we are silenced and the union that’s meant to look after us run by the same government we are trying to get to change. Something’s gotta give.
The work we do does not equate to the reward we are getting. The passion and zeal for the work is being lost due to the strain and lack of acknowledgment.
Could go on and on. But let’s be real what’s it going to change.
I say it’s time for a strike. A REAL one at that.
Susie Herbert says
Katherine you have pretty much summarised the toxic middle management issue spot on.
Your statement rings truth and this is an issue that really needs to be addressed if we want to retain nurses, good qualified nurses.
Validation and respect goes a long way.
I find it so disheartening that our profession which is based on practicing humanistic qualities don’t get it from middle management.
Ann Britton says
I believe that if ALL administrative staff were required to work a day on the floor (not hiding away doing something which is not direct patient care) every month we would see some real and realistic changes in how things are done, what resources are available, how staffing is managed and how staff are recognised. When I say ALL, I don’t see why a Health Minister and all their staff should be exempt from this either – I wonder how excited they would feel when their monthly day on the floor comes around?
Colleen says
Hi there nurse why do we need these middle managers?. Things run better when managers are not around like weekends, we as nurses can make decisions, and we do all the time, we have to get on top of this, be kind and gentle to all you meet and greet we are all human and we are all struggling with one thing or another at this time, don’t worry about the middle managers they will always be there, and we will be there too with the strength and power we give each other every day when we show up for work. Hang in there it may be about to all change-Hushy form Nowra-Health
Marie Amey says
Ditto to all above comment.
I also have noted the decline in respect with all these extra positions created in middle management over 46years of nursing, thus retiring from health system, systemic through out the the profession, Often they are inadequate in currency and are intimidated by others who know more who just do their job.
Pieces of paper don’t mean a thing if you cant be respectful of the team. Narcists can always talk the talk.
Student nurses I have been privileged to have spend time with me are having the same issue with their educators, always the student is wrong even if the whole group discuss their indifferences.
Our whole industry needs an overhaul!
Students need to be employed by a hospital and attend uni for studies, like the doctors. We would have supernumery feet on the ground and learning on the job.
Put our Premier in full PPE for 8+ hours in a hospital situation & in testing centres out in the open !!!