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‘ Pressure points ’
Emergency departments are overwhelmed , with patients waiting for hours on end . Photo : NCA Newswire / Jeremy Piper
Nurses are the solution to overwhelmed emergency departments
By Arshmah Jamal
With the ongoing problems of overwhelmed emergency departments across Australia , calls are being made to utilise and increase nurses to alleviate the situation .
Chief of the Australian College of Nursing Kylie Ward , said the lack of GPs contributes to overwhelmed emergency departments .
“ People should not be forced to wait for hours at stressed emergency departments because there are too few GPs or already burdened GPs – especially patients with minor ailments ,” Ms Ward said .
“ Systems must be adapted and updated to keep people out of hospitals and take the pressure off GPs .”
“ For these pressure points , nurses are the solution .”
Hospitals nationwide are struggling to cope with overcrowded emergency departments – resulting in prolonged
14 | nursingreview . com . au wait times and sometimes patients being “ ramped for hours ”.
Ramping refers to patients being made to wait in ambulances outside the hospital due to overcrowded emergency rooms .
The Australian Medical Association reported in its May Ramping Report Card that every state and territory has failed to meet its performance targets . Queensland ’ s target of 90 per cent of patients being transferred from the ambulance to the emergency department has not been met in the past seven years .
A story in Queensland ’ s Courier Mail reported that thousands of Queenslanders were visiting overwhelmed emergency departments for repeat prescriptions , sick certificates , and trivial ailments like ingrown toenails .
“ All of these conditions can be treated , or advice can be given , by registered nurses and nurse practitioners outside the hospital ,” Ms Ward said .
Health Services Union president Gerard Hayes said it was essential to start looking into expanding the scope of nurses .
“ Where health was before and after 2020 is different , and I think we need
“ We need to start opening our minds and looking at alternatives like using and increasing nurses
to start opening our minds and looking at alternatives like using and increasing nurses ,” Mr Hayes said .
Increasing the nursing staff to prevent overcrowding in emergency departments would mean increased costs . Mr Hayes said transparency of the health budget would allow for conversations about upskilling nurses to start .
“ The HSU has been calling for a royal commission into health expenditure , including how operations within health are occurring ,” Mr Hayes told Nursing Review .
“ We need to think differently about what has been standard practice and what can be standard practice .”
“ I think we need to have a total review of how we maximise the efficiency and productivity in health and particularly where we are today and where we are going to be in the future .” ■