CHENNAI: Citing shortage of manpower, staff nurse staged a protest at the Government Omandurar Medical College Hospital, on Wednesday. Nurses from other hospitals also joined the protest. It was called off after officials assured additional staff will be posted immediately.
Health department officials said already 1,000 nurses had been appointed through Medical Recruitment Board for four medical college hospitals and peripheral hospitals in the city. “Among the 1,000, 190 were posted at Government Omandurar Medical Hospital. Also 25 nurses from other hospitals in the city were diverted to the hospital on Wednesday. We understand the workload of the staff is heavy, but it is taking time for the newly appointed staff nurses to join due to transportation issue,” said a senior health department official. The officials also said, other medical college hospitals in the city will also get 200 nurses each and four peripheral hospitals will get 50 nurses each.
“For one shift we have 22 staff nurses for around 400 patients. In total, 140 staff nurses are there, but only 70 will be on duty while other 70 will go on quarantine for a week. The remaining is divided into three teams and each team will be posted for one shift. We have three shifts,” a protester said.
“Recently a nurse fainted. For the last four months we have been working like this. We cannot even go to the restroom or take drink water in a PPE. Around 15 nurses have tested positive and some join duty immediately after getting cured,” the nurse added. A senior doctor there alleged the nurses assembled only briefly. He also claimed the issue was resolved “within five minutes.”
A staff nurse says...
There is only one staff for around 40 patients in a ward. When patient becomes sick, we have to run here and there, which is very exhausting