Workplace News
Mental health nurses invite Premier to work 18hr shift
Nurses rallied outside the Mater Mental Health Centre at Waratah, outraged at the Berejiklian Government’s public sector wage freeze.
Local NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA) members are devastated by the 0.3% wage rise on offer from the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and want their annual 2.5% to be honoured by the Berejiklian Government.
NSWNMA Waratah Branch Delegate, Louise Haskins, said members plan to invite the Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Health to work alongside them for an 18 hour overtime shift at the Mater Mental Health Centre.
“After relying on nurses through COVID-19, its clear the Premier does not value the work we do,” said Ms Haskins.
“It’s an insult, especially after all we have endured this year. The pandemic has presented many different challenges, rapid changes and additional training, particularly for mental health nurses.
“We have all selflessly put our own safety at risk and are now expected to do more for less? We deserve more support from this government.”
Donna Cook says
I recommend all the people who think they deserve their big fat pay check work in the mental health HDU Or in a medical ward or age care ward for at least one 10 hour shift. A morning shift. They take one staff member off the floor so they have a patient load. Then for that shift they forego their daily wage and receive an En wage as they won’t be giving out the medication. A little respect and appreciation to all nurses would be the outcome a bigger pay rise than the poultry .3% pay rise if they had the guts to have a go. Otherwise tell the nurses they don’t deserve what was agreed upon. And justify to the constituents why the fat cats got their greedy grab for cash.
Raelene Costello says
As a nurse you just cannot walk out at finishing time like a lot of other professions.
What happens when there are no staff to handover too?
Who will care for the your loved one who may be coming into hospital distressed or suicidal? Yes that’s right we do mandatory overtime, this becomes a requirement not an option as you cannot leave a distressed or suicidal person, we can’t ask them to come back tomorrow as they may not be alive, so we stay to make sure they are safe.
We are very short of qualified mental health nurses so it is up to the team to fill the extra shifts.
I cannot believe that we have offered 0.3%, thismakes me feel that we are not appreciated by the government for all we do for our communities.
Just imagine how much higher our suicide rates might be if you had no qualified mental health nurses working in the In-pt and community mental health services! We carry this burden every single day, there are no casuals to call on, particularly in regional areas, so we do double shifts and overtime to ensure our your family member is safe and has support.
Ask our Premier, If it was your loved one who was suicidal would you want a qualified clinician assessing them or would you prefer they have limited services with the worst outcome being death? Because this is the main presentation to our service and we stay behind or do double shifts to make sure your loved one is safe.
Also why is our pay rate so much lower than nurses working in QLD and why don’t nurses in NSW who work Mon – Fri get 5 weeks annual leave like QLD Nurses????
I am thinking of returning to QLD health at least they can attract staff, unlike NSW, very disheartened nurse of 20 years😢 with another 20 years of caring ahead of me I hope as long as my mental and physical health holds up that long, working in these current conditions I see many nurses suffering both physical and mental health issues and leaving health all together. We are doing more than we should for no extra pay.
Victor Borg says
Outrageous treatment by the State Government of Caring Professional people who have carried the COVID19 Pandemic on their back at great personal risk both to themselves and their family.