Renal Unit nurses instructed to disobey management

Renal Unit nurses have been instructed by their union not to accept management's orders to take on the care of four, instead of three, patients.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses said in a statement this would be endangering patient care. Three patients, it said, could be taken care of by one nurse if safe practice procedures were to be followed. But due to a shortage of nurses in thepast weeks, they were ordered to take on an additional patient each.

The union said the situation was unacceptable and besides putting patient care at risk it was also exposing nurses to mistakes that could lead to disciplinary and legal action against them.

It said it was shameful that rather than trying to find a solution, the Health Division had launched into a baseless attack against the union.

It said it would not be intimidated and would be writing to the European organisations it was affiliated with for the necessary action to be taken.