The INMO has released the results of their first ‘Behind the Trolley Numbers’ survey completed by nurses in the country’s acute hospitals on their experiences of treating patients on trolleys or in hospital corridors.
The survey was targeted not only at nurses treating patients in Emergency Departments, but also those working in hospital wards where patients are being treated without an appropriate bed. The survey was carried out from 19th January – 31st January, a period when over 6,395 patients were admitted to hospital without a bed.
According to the union, 84.37% of respondents have cared for patients in inappropriate settings like Emergency Department corridors, waiting rooms, ward porches, treatment rooms and other inappropriate areas within the last year, and 85.28% of these respondents believe that patient care and safety were compromised in these settings.
71.94% of respondents have observed patient safety incidents directly related to inappropriate care settings, such as falls, medication and treatment delays. Respondents highlighted those patients endured a complete lack of privacy and dignity while being treated on a trolley.
The vast majority of respondents stated that increasing bed capacity (83.33%) and recruiting more nursing staff (80.48%) were key to addressing the issue of hospital overcrowding.
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said:
“The feeling amongst our members is that patients are being treated as mere numbers, despite the objections raised by those working on the frontline. Many of our members are now afraid that they will be punished if they report unsafe conditions to management, creating a culture of silence. Ultimately, nurses feel let down by management in many locations who are doing very little to address workload and safety concerns.
“The vast majority of our members who reported working in overcrowded settings have told us that their workload has increased and their stress levels are on the rise. Along with this, they’re telling us that the situation is leading to a lower quality of patient care.
“This situation is avoidable, but it has been allowed to worsen year and year at the expense of the health and safety of staff and patients alike. This is simply inexcusable. Nurses have voiced serious apprehensions about the suitability of some patient care areas, yet these warnings continue to be disregarded by the Health Service Executive.
“INMO members are reporting that there are huge ethical concerns with the constant placing of patients in inappropriate settings across such as window bays and waiting rooms. Many patients do not have access to call bells, oxygen points, or suction, appropriate toilet facilities, proper beds, hoists, or pressure-relieving mattresses. Patients with infectious diseases, dementia, or mental health conditions are being placed in inappropriate settings, increasing risks for both staff and other patients.
“Nurses on the frontline are crying out for support, and they feel ignored. Instead of additional staff, they are being faced with recruitment embargoes and needless administrative obstacles to increasing staffing. Through this survey, our members are reporting that they are experiencing high levels of exhaustion, overwhelm, and demoralisation, leading to burnout and potential errors.
“The new government has an opportunity to turn this situation around with a radical plan to staff hospitals, introduce plans to retain existing staff and increase capacity across acute and community services over the coming year, including the fast-tracking of elective-only hospitals. Anything short of this will continue to put lives in danger.”
