‘Some Wards Only Have One Nurse For Every 14 Patients’, Stressed Mater Dei Health Worker Explains
A stressed-out Mater Dei health worker has opened up about the current situation at the hospital, with certain wards having a 1:14 ratio of nurse to patients.
“The nurse shortage issue is a disaster right now – I just came back from a night shift, I was in a ward alone with 14 patients,” the nurse told Lovin Malta.
“Really, the situation is terrible right now. I’d rather work in a COVID-19 ward because at least they have a directive of 1:5 while in other wards they have a 1:12 average,” she explained.
“Believe it or not, it keeps on getting worse.”
“How can one person take care of so many patients? And what if something happens? The nurse would then be taken to court…”
Just last month, the Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses warned that there was only one nurse on call at a ward Karmenu Fino was at when he escaped from the St Vincent de Paul residency.
“It’s terrible – some wards don’t even have a proper canteen or a breakroom,” she said.
The health worker often works in different wards, such as MIU (Major Incident Unit), Observation, Medical, Surgical and even Pediatrics.
The Malta Union for Midwives and Nurses has long been warning of the severe staff shortages being experienced by the industry, in turn leading to many problems arising.
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