New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members pictured at a past protest. Photo / Liam Clayton
New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) members pictured at a past protest. Photo / Liam Clayton
Over the next 11 days New Zealand Nurses Organisation Tōpūtanga Tapuhi Kaitiaki o Aotearoa (NZNO) will hit the road to raise awareness on issues facing nurses.
A key concern is increased assaults, as documented in a union survey released last week.
The survey looked at 400 NZNO members, in the Mental Health Nurses Section, and respondents painted a vivid picture of the state of the sector.
Seventy-six percent said they had received a physical threat in the past 12 months and more than 40 per cent said they had been assaulted in that time. One nurse mentioned an incident where a patient put seven staff in ED, some with serious injuries.
For Dr Gary Payinda, an emergency medicine specialist in Northland, the results were a reflection of what he and his colleagues live on a daily basis.
“Nurses report being assaulted at three times the levels of NZ police force members. Nurses report over 3000 assaults a year, police 1100.
“It’s interesting we get police in our department and chat with them, it’s interesting to see how much more common it is for nurses to be harassed, threatened and assaulted, especially in the ED and Mental Health.”
Whangarei emergency medicine specialist Dr Gary Payinda said assaults on nurses was too common. Photo / Michael Cunningham
He said assaults were from visitors and patients and many went unreported.
“There seems to be a culture of dealing with it and accepting it. There are only so many times someone can be assaulted and want to come back to work.”
Payinda said the health sector is under immense stress and there was a huge demand for care.
“All you have to do is talk to an ED nurse and they or a colleague will tell you a story of being assaulted. Sixty five per cent have been threatened and 40 per cent assaulted in the past year.
“If you don’t pay nurses well, understaff them and expose them to risk of assault, is it any surprise positions are going unfilled?”
He said he would like to see more security afforded to nurses and medical staff.
“What I would like to see is the level of security given to politicians and would like to compare those numbers to the number and quality and training of security in hospitals. We face vastly increased assaults.”
Andrew Slater, Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora chief people officer, acknowledged that “mental health nurses, who are a vital and valued part of our workforce, are working in a challenging environment”.
“Workforce shortages in specialities such as mental health and addiction are a long-standing issue and not unique to New Zealand, with many comparable countries struggling with similar challenges.”
He said the department has programmes under way to grow and upskill mental health and addiction workforces, while developing new workforces to better support mental health and addiction needs.
“Working in the mental health field can be a challenging and confronting area of nursing, however, our people have a right to a workplace in which they feel safe and able to carry out their duties.
“It’s important to acknowledge the vast majority of interactions our staff have with patients and their whānau are kind and respectful. It’s only a minority of cases where our staff may experience aggression of some kind.”
He added some cases are complex, but all staff are trained in de-escalation techniques.
NZNO delegate, Mental Health Nurse Grant Brookes says there is widespread concern amongst mental health nurses about staff shortages, safety fears, and lack of resources.
“Staffing shortages within mental health nursing teams is resulting in overwhelming workloads and burnout amongst nurses.
“A lack of experienced senior nurses, inadequate supervision, and poor remuneration are contributing to low morale and job dissatisfaction. It is common for New Zealand mental health nurses to leave for Australia for more money and better working conditions.
NZNO delegate, Mental Health Nurse Grant Brookes says there is widespread concern amongst mental health nurses. Photo / File
“Many mental health nurses fear for their safety. Violence and aggression towards staff and patients alike is increasingly common, with nurses being assaulted daily across Aotearoa. This is exacerbated by understaffing and a lack of accessible security and support.
“We have seen the demand for mental health services grow considerably in recent years.
“Much of the violence we are seeing is due to intoxication, withdrawal, or drug-induced psychosis from methamphetamine. Tāngata whaiora (people seeking wellness) with different needs are being combined in inadequate facilities. This poses significant safety risks as well as challenges for therapeutic care.
“There are also systematic failures. It’s not just about mental health services in hospitals. Insufficient resources and skilled support services, including inpatient beds and community resources, are hindering effective care. People aren’t getting the care they need in the community. An effective system needs to also support community mental health services and access to accommodation.
“The current situation is really difficult for mental health nurses. They care about doing a good job for their tāngata whaiora but feel they cannot do this in the current conditions.”
NZNO chief executive Paul Goulter said the government needed to take heed of mental health nurses’ voices and prioritise actionable solutions for meaningful change.
“The mental health system is in crisis. I was disappointed to see the lack of funding set aside for health over the next four years in Budget 2024. It’s barely enough to keep the lights on.
