20.03.11
RCN calls for minimum numbers of nurses
The shortage of nurses lets older patients down, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said.
It has calculated that there are not enough nurses to ensure elderly patients get enough help to eat, walk and have someone to talk to.
The RCN is calling for guaranteed minimum numbers of nurses on wards, although this has been disputed by the NHS Confederation and NHS Employers, who say that ‘arbitrary ratios‘ are not the best way to improve levels of care.
Research conducted by the RCN showed that the ratio of qualified nurses to older patients was about 1:9, and said it should ideally be between 1:5 and 1:7.
In an RCN survey of 1,700 nurses, 78% said that comforting and talking to patients either was not done or was done inadequately during their last shift because there were too few staff.
59% said that patients did not receive enough help with their mobility, 34% were not available to assist patients with eating and drinking and 33% could not do as much as possible to help patients with their toileting needs.
Dr Peter Carter, the RCN’s general secretary, said: “Patients on older people’s wards are being let down by systemic failings in our hospitals.
“Safe staffing levels and mandatory patient-to-staff ratios are fundamental safeguards to provide quality patient care. Now is the time for the Government to provide a guarantee that older people will get safe care.”
Jo Webber, NHS Confederation deputy director of policy, acknowledged that providing adequate care for the elderly is a concern, but said that: “Staffing levels may well be an issue in some parts of some hospitals, but we should avoid leaping straight to the simplistic solution that we need more nurses everywhere.”
Webber suggested that other factors, such as recruiting and training staff, are crucial to improving care for the elderly.
Dean Royles, director of NHS Employers, added: “Mandatory staffing levels can not guarantee safe care. We do not believe that imposing a crude system of staffing ratios is the right way to tackle poor care. Each NHS hospital and service has different demands on its services. Arbitrary ratios could limit organisations’ ability to plan care in a way that is best for the patient. The last thing we want is a minimum standard becoming a ceiling rather than a floor.
“Indeed the RCN'’s report says decisions about safe care should be decided by local organisations, giving greater control to ward sisters to plan safe staffing levels.”
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