Mental health nurses from Belmont, John Hunter, Morriset, Maitland and the Waratah Mental Health branch rallied on May 12, International Nurses Day, outside their hospitals.
They were rejecting the NSW government鈥檚 latest insulting pay聽rise offer 鈥 1.04% over 2021鈥2022 鈥 and its refusal to agree to better staff to patient ratios and appropriate COVID-19 conditions.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives鈥 Association (NSWNMA) pointed to new research which showed聽better patient outcomes in hospitals with better patient ratios.
鈥淭he NSW government must stop relying on nurses鈥 goodwill to stay at the bedside. They deserve to be valued with shift-by-shift ratios and fair pay,鈥 NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said.
Prince of Wales Hospital Mental Health Branch Secretary Skye Romer said, after being on the frontline during the pandemic, the urgent need for ratios was crystal clear.
鈥淥ur workloads are not sustainable. We鈥檙e tired. We鈥檙e burning out and we feel unsupported at work, she said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been seeking ratios in NSW public hospitals for over a decade and in residential aged care for even longer, but stubborn governments refuse to listen. Now, we don鈥檛 even feel like celebrating our own professional day.鈥
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