Peri-operative nurses being failed by Department of Health

Dear Editor

A study has revealed that the physical, mental, and social well-being of peri-operative practitioners (theatre nurses) specialising in HIV/AIDS care are being compromised by the threat of litigation hanging over their heads and lack of support.

The University of South Africa (UNISA) study found that the nurses’ compromised wellbeing led to a vicious circle of poor patient care, which threatened the nurses’ job security and put them in danger of facing litigation, which in turn impacted their well-being and the quality of patient care.

In answer to a parliamentary question from the DA, the Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, stated that all nurses working in public health facilities have liability cover and that nurses performing their duties would not personally be liable for any wrongful act committed in the course of their duties, as long as they acted within the scope of their employment.

The Minister further stated that while indemnity cover is “not required as a pre-requisite for employment, nurses are advised to take indemnity cover to protect them in the event they are sued in their personal capacity.”

It seems clear from the study that peri-operative theatre nurses are not well-informed of their rights and that their managers seem to abuse this lack of knowledge.

In light of this obvious contradiction, the DA calls on the Minister to ensure that all medical professionals know their rights, as well as safe structures to report threats and abuse.

The study also found that these nurses had a lack of psychological support from their management and limited personal protective equipment (PPE). One of the nurses revealed to the researchers that they don’t have enough gloves in different sizes, which compromises safety as the wrong sized glove makes if difficult to handle sharps and instruments.

Another participant revealed that managers show a lack of care in the face of nurses’ psychological and emotional trauma, with a manager telling a nurse to go back to theatre and continue working after she complained.

With the threat of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill looming and thousand of South African medical professionals already preparing their exodus, the Department of Health needs to ensure that public sector nurses are properly supported.

Regards

Madeleine Hicklin MP
DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Health