Nursing work ‘unavailable’

Press, 9 December 1988, Page 41

Nursing work ‘unavailable’

PA Wellington The Nurses’ Association estimates at least half, or 700, of this year’s graduates will not find work as nurses.

“The availability of nursing positions appears to be budget-driven this year rather than linked to the need for health services by the New Zealand public,” said the association’s executive director, Ms Gay Williams. Ward closings, reductions in available beds, reduction of seven-day services to five days and a policy of non-replace-ment of nurses as they left were affecting available positions.

Nurses were remaining in a job for longer than usual because of the lack of vacancies. As services were re-

duced and nurses who left were not replaced the stresses on those remaining increased and waiting lists lengthened. Patients were shifted from one ward to another at weekends, which meant new surroundings, new staff and new pressures for patients and their families.

All of these changes have had a dramatic impact on the 1988 nursing graduates.

“The New Zealand Nurses’ Association is horrified at the waste of such resources and the effect on the morale of young, motivated professional nurses who, for the first time in New Zealand’s history, are facing unemployment on a massive scale,” Ms Williams said.