I write to advocate for my local community, and importantly, for our profession. Sadly, the needs of our community are constantly not being met by our struggling healthcare system, and nurses are bearing the brunt of this, usually in the form of aggression and frustration from patients and their families.

Nursing is an art, and for many of us, it is more than a job: it is a vocation. I work in Emergency and I have seen some of the worst conditions I have ever experienced in my 20-year career. This is why I believe a group of caring nurses have chosen to walk away from their patients.

It is an extremely bold and brave statement of how bad things really are.

We have been stretching ourselves to ensure patient safety and many of us are now at breaking point. It is on the backs of nurses that the community has been carried through surge after surge.

Ratios of one nurse to 30-plus patients in the ED waiting room is not uncommon – yet how can this be safe? We often care for children, elderly and vulnerable populations. We are pushed to off-load ambulances, even when our workload is already at unsafe levels.

How many times have we been lucky that our patient did not deteriorate? And, how many times did our luck actually run out?

We have a professional obligation to speak up when things are not right, and we all know that things are not right. There are no other words to describe it. The current situation is UNSAFE.

The buck stops with us – at least I assume that is what the Coroner would say.

Nurses are not OK. So many of my colleagues are so mentally and physically exhausted, what will keep them at work? A commitment to a safe workload would be a start.

We know ratios will save lives, reduce hospital stays and will save money. So, what is our Premier waiting for?

We will speak up. We will be loud and we will not stop until there is a commitment to mandated safe patient care: 1:3 in ED! 1:4 on the floor!

Mel Benjamin, RN