Nurses' union suspends actions

Widespread instructions to nurses, which could have slowed down hospital services, were suspended yesterday following a two-hour meeting with the health authorities.

The government had to give in to the Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives' opposition to the introduction of technicians in operating theatres.

A two-year course for hospital technicians was meant to start in October but has now been suspended. The new breed of paramedics was expected to help reduce the waiting lists for operations.

In a short joint statement, the union and the Social Policy Ministry said new work practices mentioned during the meeting should be explored with the union.

"These practices should improve efficiency within Mater Dei Hospital. In this context the ministry will suspend its plans to introduce technicians in the operating theatres to create the opportunity to finalise and implement these alternative practices," the statement said.

The ministry said it would review the practices currently in place at the hospital and take corrective measures by the end of the month.

On Monday, the union claimed that health and safety measures were not being respected at hospital, posing risks to both patients and nurses, and issued instructions to nurses working in theatres and a number of wards, which were set to kick off this morning.

Nurses were asked not to accept patients awaiting surgery if there were no beds available and not to take patients to operating theatres unless a consent form had been signed. Theatre nurses were asked not to be first assistant to surgeons since they were not trained for this while anaesthetic nurses were instructed not to accept post-operative patients in the recovery room unless the established nurse-to-patient ratio was respected.

Just hours after the meeting, MUMN president Paul Pace had sounded adamant that nurses would forge ahead with the instructions unless work practices at hospital were changed.

Asked whether the union was expecting the government to change the work practices overnight, Mr Pace said "why not?"

"There have been many occasions when new systems were introduced overnight," he said, adding there was nothing to discuss.

He had also vehemently denied that the instructions had anything to do with the union's objection to the introduction of theatre technicians.

This was not the first time the union clashed with the authorities. Harsh directives ordered in November were heavily criticised by many, including former union president Rudolph Cini.

The nurses then were directed to stop treating patients at Boffa Hospital when they were understaffed and to stop admitting patients to Zammit Clapp Hospital and St Vincent de Paul Residence for the elderly, which were both full to capacity, unless more people were employed. Renal Unit nurses were also directed to stop being on call, which could have endangered the lives of patients requiring urgent renal dialysis.