Nurses claim patients' lives at risk 

Source: ONE News

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There are fears patients' lives are being put at risk at one of New Zealand's largest hospitals as nurses claim they are struggling to cope.

A group of nurses from Wellington Hospital say the wards are unsafe due to a shortage of staff and a lack of resources. They say management will not listen and are turning a blind eye to the problems.

ONE News was approached by seven senior nurses who work or used to work at the hospital. They do not want to be identified for fear of losing their jobs, but claim patients' lives are being put at risk.

They say the hospital does not have enough nurses to provide a safe level of care for patients and claim overcrowding means patients are often left waiting in corridors, sometimes without emergency supplies like oxygen.

The nurses also say there are too many inexperienced junior nurses who sometimes have to care for several patients on their own, without support.

Because of this, the nurses say they are stressed and worried, some are even breaking down and crying on the job.

There are currently 100 nursing vacancies at Wellington Hospital. In 18 months, 36 nurses have left from one ward alone.

"Nurses can make the difference between life and death, and if they can't do their work properly, then people are at risk," says Glenda Alexander, NZ Nurses Organisation.

However, hospital bosses say nurses are well-resourced and patients are safe.

But they claim the move into new buildings and government targets to reduce waiting times has put extra pressure on staff.

"I think the people of Wellington and the region should have a high degree of confidence," says Kerrie Hayes, Capital & Coast DHB.