Nurses say "we can manage"

The Royal North Shore Hospital is trying to reduce the input nurses have in the management and the nurses wont have any of it.

Royal North Shore Hospital nurses voice their objection

Royal North Shore Hospital nurses stopped work for two hours on Tuesday May 23 to protest against proposed changes to the management structure, which they say, will reduce their input and influence.

New South Wales Nurses Association (NSWNA) has about 1,000 members at RNSH. Nurses at the hospital voted to leave only "skeleton staffing" in place in wards so emergencies can be dealt with.

NSWNA says that the proposed changes which are proposed by the Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service (NSCCHS) will sideline senior nurse managers and replace them with generic managers.

"Some senior management bureaucrats and some other professional groups with influence fear that Nurses have too much power and influence over the health system because they make up the largest group of health professionals," said Brett Holmes, NSWNA General Secretary.

These changes are not consistent with the official policies of the Iemma goverment.

"When he introduced the restructure of the Health Department as Health Minister 18 months ago, Morris Iemma claimed that cutting bureaucrats' jobs would create savings of $100 million," said the Shadow Health Minister Jillian Skinner.

Many believe that removing nurses from the management positions will result in decisions that gradually make nursing a less attractive career option.

"There are more than 98,000 registered and enrolled nurses in NSW. However, only 36 per cent are choosing to work in our public hospital system," said Ms Skinner.

"If the nurses become discontented with the management arrangements then more and more will leave the public hospital system and join agencies where they have a choice of where and when they work," said Joy McClean, managing director of Centennial Nurses Agency.

The proposal to reduce the input of nurses in management of the wards doesn't make professional sense.

"Nurse Managers specialise in their chosen field of health and nursing management and have tertiary qualifications in management again making them a formidable group," said Mr Holmes.

NSWNA commissioned a study by Sydney University in 2002 which showed that similar changes to the style of management was the most important reason nurses left the profession.

"Morale is at rock bottom, staff are run off their feet and burnt out. Hospitals are under-funded, resources are over-stretched and now nurses are being cut out of jobs that give them career paths. Under Labor nurses have no reason to stay," said Ms Skinner.

"What is clear is that Royal North Shore nurses are not alone in their opposition to the proposal to sideline nurses out of operational management," said Mr Holmes. "Members right across the Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health Service have indicated their opposition and preparedness to consider taking action."

Nurses at the Royal North Shore Hospital will meet soon to discuss and consider any further action.

"Industrial action is always a last resort by nurses and it is a matter that the members ultimately have to decide as to what they are prepared to do," said Mr Holmes.