The Department of Health in KwaZulu-Natal will receive a boost up as one thousand nine hundred and twenty six more nurses’ graduate to join the healthcare delivery workforce.
The problem of nursing personnel shortages have engulfed the healthcare delivery in the developing countries as well as developed countries alike. In many instances this (nursing shortage) is characterised by a decline in the number of people entering the nursing profession. The implications of doing nothing to improve nurse staffing are that a large number of patients will suffer avoidable adverse outcomes and government will continue to incur higher costs of care than are necessary. The department wants to monitor improvements in nurse staffing closely in order to determine the levels of inputs (staffing) needed to increase nursing supply and reduce adverse patient outcomes. The department is aware of the low levels of qualified nursing staff, especially midwives, and related poor outcomes and is actively seeking solutions.
According to the District Health Barometer (2009); in 2008/09 the average nurse clinical workload in South Africa was 23.3 patients per nurse per day, close to the average of 23.7 in 2007/08. The report illustrates that there is a trend suggesting that on average in poorer areas fewer patients are being seen by a nurse per day or, conversely, that nurses are seeing greater numbers of patients in the “wealthy” areas of the country.
“Periods of high vacancy rates for nursing personnel in hospitals are soon becoming thing of the past and the current shortage is different. The nursing shortage is a reflection of fundamental changes in population demographics, disease profiles, and work attitudes. Nurse staffing is a matter of major concern to our department because of the effects it can have on patient safety and quality of care. Nursing-sensitive outcomes are one indicator of quality of care,” says the MEC for Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo.
Journalists and reporters are advised and invited of the graduations to take place as follows;
Date : 9 September 2010
Venue: Olympia Hall, Royal Show grounds, Pietermaritzburg
Time : 09h30
Speaker: Dr Sibongile Zungu (Head of Department)
Date : 10 September 2010
Venue: Olympia Hall, Royal Show grounds, Pietermaritzburg
Time : 09h30
Speaker: Ms SZ Mchunu (Deputy Registrar: South African Nursing Council)
Date : 23 September 2010
Venue: Show Hall, Lot No. 1219 Hardwick Street, Newcastle
Time : 09h30
Speaker: Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo (MEC for Health)
“In our endeavour to improve the quality of care, the continuing increase in the number of nursing personnel brings a new relief to some of the most complex problems in our health delivery services. It also emphasizes the need for a structured and consistent improvement in the whole system of healthcare delivery,” The MEC added
Enquiries:
Chris Maxon
Cell: 083 285 0567
