JOHN Hunter Hospital's emergency department is next in line for a boost in nursing staff numbers as part of a promised rollout of major reform . Login or signup to continue reading The Safe Staffing Levels initiative aims to improve patients' experience and boost the retention and capability of staff in NSW's public hospitals. It involves minimum staffing levels on every shift to enable a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied emergency department (ED) resuscitation beds on all shifts.
The NSW State Government also promises the initiative will deliver one nurse to three in ED treatment spaces and short-stay ED beds. Gosford Hospital is also on the list of 12 hospitals ear-marked for the next phase of the roll out which priorities EDs which treat the most critically ill patients as part of an effort to deliver 2480 full time equivalent nurses over four years to June, 2027. The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce, made up of leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association, NSW Health, and local health districts, are working to determine exactly how many extra staff will be needed at each site to deliver the reform.
Staff at Maitland and John Hunter hospitals have been vocal in highlighting understaffing issues, amid ongoing "fatigue and frustration". The NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association has welcomed the reform but questions how the government will achieve it in the current climate. It will mean about 40 new FTE staff at the John Hunter Hospital alone, says lo.