‘How Dare You?’: Maltese Nurse Calls Out His Own Profession’s Union For ‘Taking Advantage Of A Delicate Situation’
Photo right: MUMN President Paul Pace
A Maltese nurse has accused his own profession’s union (MUMN) of arrogance and of “taking advantage of a delicate situation” after its latest request for financial assistance.
“My colleagues (consisting of Nurses, doctors, nursing aides, carers and Emergency Ambulance Responders, ECG techs, Radiographers, lab techs, clerks and last but not least cleaners) and myself have been truly at the frontline…..we deal with these cases every day,” Bernard Gatt said.
“We have been working closely with isolation wards who have been honestly understanding and supportive of the situation…..yet I see this constant bickering and attempts at taking advantage of a delicate situation coming from a few fellow nurses and MUMN representatives.”
Earlier today, the MUMN proposed that nurses shouldn’t be taxed for their overtime and that the government should pay vacation leave to nurses’ relatives who care for their children while they are at work.
“The nursing profession is the only profession which is caring for our patients 24/7 and the demands and the sheer scale of work ahead of us is something that none of us nurses have ever experienced,” MUMN President Paul Pace wrote in a letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela.
However, Gatt warned that the MUMN is giving off the wrong impression of nurses, over and above directives recently issued by the union for nurses not to attend patients positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus at Mater Dei.
“I haven’t seen ANY representative visit Emergency, yet I have seen misinformation, scaremongering and blatant disrespect at our profession,” he wrote. “MUMN, you issued directives to nurses working in various wards which in turn puts the Emergency department in a dire situation….your own members!!!”
“This wasn’t the first time you issued issue press release after another showered in ignorant claims such as wanting cover-alls for all nurses, asking for more money, making it seem as if we’re the only profession that turns the gears of the health care system.”
“I’m a nurse, and a proud one at that but I’m also realistic and I know that we’re a team, and it’s that team that makes us the success that we are. We don’t work 24hrs a day, 7 days a week as you so arrogantly said this morning.”
“We’re not asking for more money and making bogus claims, we have been working or asses off TOGETHER with our colleagues without batting an eyelid and moving on. Therefore I say; HOW DARE YOU?!”
“Well, I hate to break it to the few fellow nurses who have been sharing these posts, more so Paul Pace… you’re clearly not working with these patients… I have seen my superiors work in the same personal protective equipment I use when I work with COVID patients. I have worked (for years) hand in hand with doctors and nurses of great skill and compassion that you so clearly lack.”
He urged his fellow nurses not to follow claims made on social media blindly but rather to do their own research and look up research-based articles.
“If you do not work in an area were there is a risk for COVID-19 patients, then you do not need PPEs for now, pretty simple. The situation is critical enough as it is and we need to be the ones to help the system through and NOT make it fail.”
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