Almost a quarter of nurses and midwives have attended a doctor for work-related stress, a new survey has found.
On Wednesday, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) published the results of its annual members’ survey to mark the beginning of its 106th annual conference in Wexford.
According to the survey, which had 2,334 respondents, staffing was a major concern for members in terms of both staff and patient safety.
Just over 24 per cent of nurses and midwives said they had attended their GP for work-related stress. This is higher than the percentage reported in last year’s survey, when one fifth said they attended their GP.
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Almost 40 per cent of respondents said their work negatively impacted their psychological wellbeing “a great deal” or “a lot”.
A total of 72 per cent of the survey’s respondents said their current staffing levels and skill mix did not meet the required clinical and patient demands in their work area.
Among those citing inadequate staffing, more than 90 per cent expressed concern about compromised patient safety, and almost half (48.76 per cent) of respondents reported they felt pressured to work additional hours or shifts to make up the staffing shortfall.
Some 61.51 per cent of respondents also said they had considered leaving their work area in the past month, with workplace stress cited as the primary reason
Phil Ní Sheaghdha, general secretary of the INMO, said the survey shows staffing levels are “having a detrimental effect” on patient care and staff’s safety.
“This level of stress, exhaustion and physical strain over many years has a very serious effect on our members and should not be tolerated,” she said.
“To have ... workers attending their GP for work-related stress would be a scandal in many workplaces and industries, but this is the level of sacrifice that is expected from our members and it is simply not sustainable.
Ms Ní Sheaghdha said it is “absolutely critical” improvements come into effect in the coming months, and called for legislation underpinning safe staffing levels.
“This needs to happen not simply to protect these healthcare workers and their patients but to protect the future of the health service,” she added.
Caroline Gourley, president of the INMO, said nurses and midwives are “stretched to breaking point”.
“It is not realistic or fair to expect people to keep going in to work in these conditions, putting their physical and mental health at risk for their work,” she said.
“The dedication and commitment of nurses and midwives should not be the glue holding the health service together. Our members’ goodwill is not a substitute for effective workforce planning.”
