A new Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation survey has revealed that over 20% of the nation’s nurses and midwives have sought their general practitioner’s aid for occupational stress. As this union’s conference commences at Dublin’s Croke Park, the study exposes that a considerable number perceive hospital overcrowding and understaffing as threats to their own and their patients’ welfare.
Around 70% of those surveyed feel their job has affected their overall health, with 55% frequently or perpetually feeling physically drained due to their workload. Moreover, 40% disclosed that their roles have a psychological impact, with 21% of them having consulted their GP regarding stress.
The survey indicates that the pressure to work extra hours is a significant issue, with 54% experiencing this burden. Staffing strength was a dominant theme in the study, as 76% asserted that the workforce and skill diversity didn’t suffice their workplaces’ requirements. Alarmingly, 92% of these respondents perceive this problem as a potential risk to patient safety.
In the grand scheme, nearly two-thirds contemplated resigning recently, with job demands and the associated strain being the primary reasons for almost half of these individuals. This predicament clearly demonstrates the ongoing challenges that nurses and midwives face in the health services industry, expressed the union’s president Karen McGowan.
The long-lasting impacts of the Covid pandemic is still a struggle for numerous nurses, with the government failing to address the pressing issue of hospital overcrowding. As conditions worsen for both patients and staff, McGowan warns of the unsustainable situation and fears the potentially catastrophic consequences of another major crisis on an already fragile health service and its staff.
The results of the survey, according to Phil Ní Sheaghdha, general secretary, underscore the urgent requirement for further governmental intervention regarding emergency healthcare units and other facets of the healthcare system. He stated, “Critical data shows the correlation between patient welfare and the risk of insufficient staffing; there’s evidence indicating a link between patient survivability and the degree of overcrowding; furthermore, concrete numbers reveal an alarming level of stress among nurses and midwives, who are working overtime without pay, and subsequently resigning from their positions. The disregard for taking action in light of such compelling data is sheer negligence.”