Life-saving medication dispute solved

The health authorities have agreed to allow nurses accompanying ambulances in emergency cases to administer life-saving medication to patients, the president of the nurses' union said yesterday.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses was all set to stop nurses from accompanying ambulances because of a number of issues, including nurses not being allowed to administer potentially life-saving medication. The directives were expected to kick in yesterday but a successful meeting between the nurses' union and Social Policy Ministry officials yesterday meant there was no need to take such action.

Speaking to The Times soon after the meeting, union president Paul Pace said the authorities promised to look into the contentious issue that nurses believe could put lives at risk. "There was total agreement on the side of the government that nurses should be allowed to give life-saving drugs and we were promised that the authorities will be looking at the relevant legislation," he said.

Although certain drugs are carried in the emergency bag, nurses are unable to administer them even though they are professionally trained to deal with emergencies. This was putting the nurses in awkward situations knowing that patients could require certain medication urgently but they were not allowed to administer it.

In a particular case, a nurse was unable to give valium to a boy suffering from febrile convulsions and instead gave it to the youngster's mother to administer it herself. Mr Pace said there have also been cases of nurses who took legal risks and still gave patients the medication because they knew they really needed it.

The authorities have agreed to set up pre-hospital teams, led by nurses, and to more stringent checks of ambulances to ensure that these are in good working order.

Although no agreement has been reached about insurance cover for nurses who accompany ambulances, Mr Pace appeared confident that this too will be resolved shortly. At the moment nurses are not covered for injuries they might sustain while on an emergency but only in case of death.