MEMBERS of the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) will hit Bega's Sapphire Marketplace on Wednesday (July 2) to speak with locals about their campaign for improved nurse-to-patient ratios.
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The members, from NSWNMA Bega District Hospital Branch, are calling on the NSW Government to extend nurse-to-patient ratios into all public health facilities and specialty units, including emergency departments, intensive care units and more country hospitals.
Currently, only selected wards in metropolitan hospitals have ratios of one nurse to four patients in place.
The NSWNMA said this week marked another year without improved nurses-to-patient ratios, prompting nurses to call on the government, including Bega MP and Treasurer Andrew Constance, to expand ratios.
NSWNMA organiser Shaye Candish said local nurses and midwives were committed to safe patient care and a well resourced public health system.
“It’s important the Bega community is aware of what their local nurses and midwives are up against when trying to deliver safe patient care,” Ms Candish said.
“Our members are rightly concerned about recent health funding cuts in this year’s federal and state budgets, and what that means for the likelihood of ratios being mandated across all public health facilities in NSW.
“We’ll continue campaigning around these issues to ensure the community is well informed.”
The NSWNMA members will hand out information about their ratios, their "put patient safety first" campaign, and seek support from local shoppers.
The NSWNMA Bega District Hospital Branch members will a hold a pop-up stall inside the Sapphire Marketplace, from 9am until noon on Wednesday.
For more information about the campaign, visit www.backyournurses.org or www.facebook.com/safepatientcare.