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Deputy Pa Daly.
SINN Féin TD for Kerry, Pa Daly has slammed the HSE over nursing staff resources at University Hospital Kerry.
Deputy Daly said he has been hearing from informed sources that many nurses on the front-line are “at breaking point”.
“This week I am hearing that there are only four nurses per ward in University Hospital Kerry, with no regard for staff breaks. Every day in UHK seems to bring staff shortages,” said Deputy Daly.
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“For a number of weeks I have been hearing from staff on the frontlines who are near breaking point. Staff are doing their best, but are dealing with unimaginable levels of mental and physical exhaustion. Similarly I am hearing from student nurses whose internships and placements are negatively affected by these same staff shortages.
“There is no opportunity to train when the wards are under-staffed and resources are placed under severe pressure.
“Compounding this, students nurses are not being paid a fair wage for extremely hard work under difficult circumstances; these nurses go far beyond their educational remit and are relied upon as if they were full-time staff. The very least the government and the HSE can do is to pay these nurses a living wage,” concluded Deputy Daly.
