Public Health
Ratios. It’s a matter of life or death.
The Association has launched a TV advertising campaign to show the NSW public the importance of ratios to patient safety.
‘Ratios are something I am really passionate about’
Alayne Dwyer is the nurse who features prominently in our tv commercial. She tells The Lamp why she put up her hand to be in our ad, why she thinks the ratios campaign is important and the value of being in the union.
Alayne says you can feel the difference ratios make when you step onto a new ward for the first time.
“I’ve worked in three major Sydney hospitals, and also in London in a variety of hospitals as an agency nurse, so when I go into a new place, or I start a new job, you can get a feel for that ward, for that department, and for staff morale.
“If a ward is staffed well and has safe ratios, it becomes a magnet ward that attracts people: so there is staff retention, people enjoy coming to work and there is a sense of satisfaction that you have completed your task.”
Alayne says she understood the importance of being in the union from early in her nursing career.
“Since I graduated and became a registered nurse I’ve always been a member of the union. When I first graduated I was involved in a root cause analysis to try and find out where things went wrong. Anyone can become involved in that.
“The first thing a senior nurse said to me was “Call the union and they will help you through”. So that’s what I did, and the union helped me through and supported me.
“When I got my current job I became a more active member of the union. I joined the branch first as a delegate and then as an assistant secretary for the branch.
“The department that I’m working in has had a lot of issues. We’re a stroke centre and we’re doing a lot of endovascular clot retrieval – and there are workload issues associated with that.
“So when someone from the union called me and asked if I would be in the ad of course I said yes because ratios are something I am really passionate about.”
Making a difference in another way
Making an ad was a new experience but it is another way of contributing, she says.
“It was a really enjoyable, fun day. I’ve never done anything like this before: it was really nice to spend a day almost being like a movie star and enjoying something totally different, and knowing if nurse-to-patient ratios get passed it will make a huge difference.
“You never think how much time goes into making an ad and I really got an appreciation for that industry and the producers and how they work.
“It came on TV last night; my husband was on the lounge watching TV and he yelled out to me and said “Quick, quick, you’re on TV”. I ran into the lounge room in my pyjamas and it was a really crazy moment – seeing yourself on TV for the first time.”
Share the ad with family and friends
View our ad and share it with family and friends: www.ratioslifeordeath.org.au