600 patients were without a bed in Irish hospitals this morning, according to latest ‘Trolleywatch’ data
More than eight in ten of workers in acute healthcare settings have cared for patients in inappropriate settings in the past year, with more than seven in ten believing that such conditions worsen patient care, according to a new survey.
The research, conducted last month by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), surveyed 1,587 nurses and workers in EDs, inpatient wards and other acute healthcare facilities.
It found that 84.37 per cent of respondents have cared for patients in settings like ED corridors and waiting rooms within the last year.
A similar percentage (85.28 per cent) said that patient care and safety were compromised in these settings, while 73.50 believe that these situations significantly worsen patient care quality.
“The feeling amongst our members is that patients are being treated as mere numbers, despite the objections raised by those working on the frontline,” said INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha.
“Many of our members are now afraid that they will be punished if they report unsafe conditions to management, creating a culture of silence. Ultimately, nurses feel let down by management in many locations who are doing very little to address workload and safety concerns.”
Almost two-thirds (64.04 per cent) of respondents said that delivering care in inappropriate settings was a daily occurrence, while 22.22 per cent said it occurred weekly.
Just over 70 per cent said that patients often remain in these areas for more than 12 hours. A similar proportion (71.94 per cent) have observed patient safety incidents directly related to inappropriate care settings, such as falls, and delayed treatments.
“INMO members are reporting that there are huge ethical concerns with the constant placing of patients in inappropriate settings across such as window bays and waiting rooms,” added Ms Ní Sheaghdha.
“Many patients do not have access to call bells, oxygen points, or suction, appropriate toilet facilities, proper beds, hoists, or pressure-relieving mattresses.”
Stress levels have also significantly increased for 89.70 per cent of respondents.
The vast majority said that increasing bed capacity (83.33 per cent) and recruiting more nursing staff (80.48 per cent) were key to addressing the issue of hospital overcrowding.
The findings were published as latest INMO Trolleywatch figures showed that 600 admitted patients were waiting for beds. Of these, 400 patients were waiting in the emergency department, while 200 were in other hospital wards.
“Through this survey, our members are reporting that they are experiencing high levels of exhaustion, overwhelm, and demoralisation, leading to burnout and potential errors,” Ms Ní Sheaghdha said.
“The new government has an opportunity to turn this situation around with a radical plan to staff hospitals, introduce plans to retain existing staff and increase capacity across acute and community services over the coming year, including the fast-tracking of elective-only hospitals. Anything short of this will continue to put lives in danger.”
