Idi Stuart president of the TT Registered nurses Association (TTRNA) says the country’s healthcare system is being compromised by a shortage of trained nurses. The Association (TTRNA) is calling on government to increase patient-to-staff ratios in all regional health authorities (RHAs).
It is repeating its call for the implementation of several recommendations which have been made by commissions of enquiry and parliamentary committees.
Stuart said: the situation is negatively affecting patient care at all RHA’s: “We don’t have enough nurses to care for the amount of patients in our primary and secondary health care facilities, so you end up having numerous adverse events taking place in our hospitals and health care centres, such as incorrect medication, a number of falls, bedsores developing, longer patient stays, poor clinical outcomes, and the list is long.”
“TTRNA obtained information via the Freedom of Information request to all RHAs, and this information indicated that the country is short by almost 3,000 nursing personnel, and the government is not doing anything to resolve the issue so it’s getting worse.”