The ward I work on is constantly short-staffed. Every day I go to work and am asked to work overtime. I am fatigued but feel pressured by the nurse manager to stay back. I have previously said that I am tired. Can they keep putting pressure on me to work overtime?

Under the National Law, nurses and midwives have a clear mandate: they must not be directed or pressured by their employers to engage in practices that violate professional standards, ethical guidelines, or codes of conduct. This principle is essential for maintaining the integrity and safety of nursing and midwifery practice.

When managers pressure staff to take on shifts while fatigued, it undermines Principle 7 of the NMBA Code of Conduct, which is centred on Health and Wellbeing. This principle emphasises the necessity of maintaining both physical and mental health to ensure safe and effective practice. Nurses have an obligation to:

• Understand and promote the principles of public health, including health promotion activities and vaccination;
• act to reduce the effect of fatigue and stress on their health, and on their ability to provide safe care.
• By adhering to these obligations, nurses and midwives can uphold the highest standards of care while safeguarding their own health and the wellbeing of their patients.