Staff to work 'under protest' at nursing home

Some elderly patients at a Co Leitrim nursing home are being put to bed at 4pm because of demands on staff, according the Irish Nurses' Organisation which voted to work "under protest" at the home for the month of August.

The INO's industrial relations officer in the northwest said members working at Arus Carolan in Mohill had voted to take this step because only one nurse was being rostered to work each night from 5.30pm to 8.30am. Noel Treanor said the nurse and one care attendant were responsible for 40 elderly patients throughout the night.

He said a proposal from the Health Service Executive (North West) that one of the day nurses be changed to the night shift was not appropriate given the demands on staff during the day.

Mr Treanor, who met with management last week to discuss the staffing issue, said it had been indicated that a new official with responsibility for this area would be appointed early in September and would address this problem.

"That is not good enough. Patients are being cared for in real time and nurses work in real time and cannot wait until September," said Mr Treanor. He said it was unacceptable that one nurse and one care attendant have responsibility for 40 elderly residents throughout the night.

"If one of the residents needs assistance during the night the nurse cannot know what is happening on the other side of a building which is quite spread out."

He said that while four nurses are rostered during the day, one of these is a nurse manager who had administrative duties. "Eight of the residents have to go to bed by 4pm each day in order to sustain the level of work," said Mr Treanor. "The nurses know this is not right and it is the patients who are suffering."

He said INO members at Arus Carolan would be wearing badges for the month of August indicating that they are working under protest but there would be no work to rule or withdrawal of services. A meeting would be held in the middle of the month to decide if further action was needed. The HSE yesterday expressed its "disappointment" at the INO announcement.

It said that a revised rostering proposal was presented by management to the union on July 20th which provided for the assignment of two nursing staff and one care staff to night duty.

The HSE said it had confirmed that three additional nursing posts had been granted to Arus Carolan last year. One further nurse management post had been put on offer during recent negotiations.

A spokesperson said the HSE had received no response from the INO following these proposals but management continued to be available for discussions within the agreed grievance procedures.