Ministry slams directive to theatre nurses

S. Borg

Apr 16th 2009, 18:40

@ Carmelo(Nenu)Aquilina.
I think you have fallen for the political propaganda trap rather than the obvious truth. The nurses are protecting first and foremost the patients’ rights before anything else. The union did not order industrial actions but, on the contrary, has ordered its members to obey the established rules and regulations. What was happening was, that in order to get things done, the nursing community was becoming complacent to the service provided as it was facing a bureaucratic brick wall. Because of the union’s action, operations are now starting on time, breaks are taken as stipulated by established codes of practice and safety issues are finally upheld. All this and more without a single delay or cancellation.
My father underwent a small surgical intervention in conjunction with some cancer treatment that he was taking at the time. He acquired an avoidable hospital borne infection in the process. He never recovered from this infection. I buried him last November, aged 66. Whenever I look at a patient I still see my father and I treat him/ her as such. Yes the patient comes always first but who cares for them (Nurses, Doctors) must be fit, healthy and respected as well.

S Borg

Apr 16th 2009, 17:58

@C. Camilleri.
We need to portray the nursing profession as an attractive lifelong commitment to the up and coming new generation and, by all means, do it now. What kind of message are we conveying to those who are entertaining the thought of undertaking a university diploma or degree in Nursing when the administration is blatantly replacing them (yes, replacing and not complimenting, under no uncertain terms) by technicians?
The ODPs in the UK were introduced at a time when hospital care was being decentralized and spread over many specialized institutions. In time it proved to be impractical in terms of duplication of services and spiraling costs. Eventually many established NHS hospitals were converted into “Thrusts” as others closed down and perished, resulting in many specialized nursing job losses. We in Malta have (thank God) a centralized system and therefore we need to compliment what we have by introducing a more cohesive, accountable management system, run by trained managers hand in hand with professionals in the caring field.
It was also, at the time, an ill intended move to destabilize the UK nursing union’s stronghold, but in time proved to the contrary, making it only stronger.

Full speed ahead MUMN.

c.camilleri

Apr 15th 2009, 15:52

@ l galea I think you are refering to the late labour Govt during the Mintoff and KmB era.

GaleaL

Apr 15th 2009, 09:12

c.camilleri
The only thing that is happening in Malta is not that the unions want to do what they want to the detriment of the public, but we have a government that wants to copy Margaret Thatcher to destroy the unions and thus workers protection.

Jeremy J Camilleri

Apr 14th 2009, 23:13

No one answers a simple question..

Is it legal to resort to an industrial action in Malta?

maria aquilina

Apr 14th 2009, 22:49

Nurses must be protected.Where is safety and protection at the work place? If a nurse catches HIV or hepatitis her carreer is ruined.Why is the union accused of being abusive? the union,s job is to act on behalf of her members.The nurse's job is a very risky job.Not everyone is ready to take nursing as a career.So the government must give out insentives so that young men and women will join the proffession.Nursing is a satisfing job but very responsible one.So if the government wants to keep them from resigning it must make sure that the nurses are happy on their place of work.and by receiving a good pay.

S Borg

Apr 14th 2009, 21:35

@J. Farrugia and @ C.Camilleri
If the government wants to really try to speed up the operations waiting list then it should see to it and do away with the logistical hindrances, which are the real underlying problems. Because of the union’s action, operations are now starting on time, breaks are taken as stipulated by established codes of practice and safety issues are finally upheld. All this and more without a single delay nor cancellation. I suggest that the likes of J. Farrugia and C.Camilleri , instead of falling for the political propaganda trap, should keep their vision unimpaired and talk to the people involved other than resort to political partisan. As for “avoid work and get paid at the same time” how dare you say this to a sector who work longer hours than their European counterparts ( nurses, doctors etc.), get paid less and give the same and more of a level of service. Amazing how the nursing and medical community has for many years requested suitable operating protection wear to protect them and their patients from cross-contamination and then suddenly, today, 500 Goretex gowns are made available because of the union’s action. Amazing indeed.

K.Vassallo

Apr 14th 2009, 19:46

@J.Farrugia & C.camilleri. Imagine if one of your children was working in an Operating theatre unprotected from diseases transfered from blood and other body fluids (and by the way if a gown is wet with any kind of fluid, infections won't pass only to the nurse behind the gown but also to the patient cause sterile clothing is not sterile anymore if wet). The MUMN ordered nurses not assist for procedures without protective clothing just to protect the nurses and their families. Remember my dear friends that nurses are Maltese and European citizens as well and these protective gowns that the union requested for its members is being used trough out all Europe and the world in all prodedures and it is a strandard piece of equipment. The goverment has been promising theses gowns from when he was elected and it seems that the HEALTH and SAFETY of the NURSES and the ALSO PATIENTS is not on the agenda of this GOVERNMENT. MUMN PLEASE CONTINUE WITH YOUR GOOD WORK TO PROTECT NURSES AND MOST OF ALL PATIENTS.

A.Saliba

Apr 14th 2009, 16:35

The ministry is always judging the directives and never says "mia colpa". This is good woerk by this union who always comes up for and represent the nurses while keeping in mind the health of the patient.

Good job MUMN

Robert Cuschieri

Apr 14th 2009, 16:22

Well done to MUMN for this move.
An employer is duty bound to offer protective equipment to his employees. Did we ever see firemen fighting a blaze without protective equipment or soldiers going to war without a gun?

"The gowns currently worn by theatre nurses had been in use for several years.”

The fact that this has been going on for years is no excuse at all. Every patient should be treated as a biohazard and all precautions taken.

"Nonetheless, the administration had carried out an exercise to establish the requirements for the new gowns and was about to take the final decisions."

How long is this exercise going to take? And what exercise do you need? All that is needed is to purchase all the necessary gowns... end of the story.

And for those criticizing hospital staff .. I would like to see you going to work to earn your daily living and getting soaked with patients' blood evry day because you are not wearing the necessary protective garments.

wally vella-zarb

Apr 14th 2009, 16:20

@J.Farrugia
What if YOUR mother were a nurse who was being unnecessarily exposed to possible infections due to lack of proper protective clothing? Have nurses now become disposable beings?

Carmelo(Nenu)Aquilina

Apr 14th 2009, 16:01

Qed ninnota certu attitudni trade unjonistika xejn fertili dejjem tirranka.Din l-atidudni qed iddejjaq hafna cittadini, ghax bl-ebda mod ma tant tidher li hi flokha jew genwina, jew li b'xi mod mahluqa biex tghin fic-cirkustanzi kollha prezenti. Ghalhekk jien istaqsikom. Kemm ikkonsultajtu lill membri taghkom qabel bdejtu tiehdu din l-atitudni? Ikkalkulajtu minn qabel kemm hsara tisghu qed taghmlu izjed milli gid lill hutkom il-Maltin u l-Ghawdxin? L-inkwiet li qed tinkwetaw lill haddiema, lill-istudenti, lill-familji. lill-morda u l-anzjani fl-isptarijiet, u lill dawk li qed jistennew il-jidhlu fl-Isptar Mater Dei bie jaghmlu xi operazzjoni? Hemm bzonn inhabbtu saqajna b'dan il-mod li jismana kulhadd? Hemm bzonn inwerwru persuni f'sitwazzjonijiet debboli bla bzonn, meta suppost qieghdin ninkuragguhom biex jiksbu l-fejqan? Tahsbu li din l-atitudnu taghmel xi unur jew gid lill xi hadd, specjalment lill-proffessjonijiet tal-haddiema kollha fl-isptarijiet? Tahsbu li hu floku meta specjalment din l-atitudni xejn posittiva tkun gejja minn xi hadd li hu proffesjonali f'dan il-qasam? Tahsbu li din l-atitudni taghmel unur lill proffessjoni ta'l-infermiera? Fuq kollox kull impjagat fil-qasam tas-sahhu l-aktar haga importanti mhux l-marid? Minn hu responsabli staqsa lillu innifsu jekk hu jixtieqx li hu jew xi hadd tal-familja tieghu jkunx trattat kif qed jahseb li jigi trattat hadd iehor?

c.camilleri

Apr 14th 2009, 15:38

@ Christopher Borg This is a Democracy where the unions representing public (not private) employees want to do what they like to the detriment of the whole country. It is about time that someone will stand up to them. This is not the time for petty excuses to avoid work and get paid at the same time. In other countries responding to world recession Govts have curtailed the abuses of the unions. Why is it that Govt employees are never satisfied and always invent an excuse to slow down work.? Is this because they are not like the private employees who are being discharged or working on reduced hours because of world recession?

J Farrugia

Apr 14th 2009, 15:13

@ Christopher Borg: what if your mother needs an immediate operation. What would you say, when the government is trying everything in its power to speed up operations on the waiting lists. Shame on the MUMN.

Mark Piscopo

Apr 14th 2009, 14:15

Can we strike or not? or we must accept everything ? Are we living in a democratic country or are we in a dictatorship country?

Christopher Borg

Apr 14th 2009, 13:05

It's amazing how whenever a union organises some form of protest the government is quick to slam them as 'abusive' and turns the anger of the unruly mob against the employee......I wonder, is this democracy or a case of 'divide and conquer' ?