A new report revealed a distressing situation in UK hospitals, where patients are tragically left to face their final moments alone due to severe nursing shortages.
According to research conducted by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), it has been found that only one third of shifts have an adequate number of nurses on duty.
Nursing Shortages on UK's Patient Care
Due to shortages, staff frequently find themselves caring for a large number of patients simultaneously. Experts are advocating for safety measures that would establish limits on the number of patients a single nurse can be accountable for, according to Daily Mail.
The RCN reported that a survey of over 11,000 nursing staff revealed a significant number of them feeling demoralized due to their inability to ensure patient safety.
Only a third of respondents reported having the intended number of registered nurses during their shifts, both in hospitals and community settings.
Many A&E and outpatient nurses expressed concerns about the high patient workload, with a significant number of them having more than 51 patients to care for.
A healthcare professional working in the community in south-west England expressed concern over the high number of unallocated visits due to insufficient staffing. A source in the south of England reported that on a daily basis, more than 50 patients in need of care are left unseen due to inadequate staffing levels.
These factors contribute to a rise in hospitalizations and fatalities. It is up to us to determine who receives attention and who goes unnoticed, which can be quite disheartening.
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Challenges for Fresh Graduate Nurses
Meanwhile, fresh graduate nurses are encountering a disheartening quest for registered nursing positions, and contemplating leaving the profession altogether, due to an unexpected scarcity of job openings and NHS trusts implementing cost-cutting measures.
Earlier this year, a survey of over 100 NHS trust, integrated care board (ICB), and primary care leaders revealed that numerous health employers are contemplating reducing clinical staff as a result of financial constraints.
A significant majority (67%) of participants in the survey conducted by the NHS Confederation expressed the need to decrease clinical staff to meet the stringent efficiency and productivity targets set by the UK Government.
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