Nurses struggling with high number of emergencies due to lack of resources

CAPE TOWN - The Democratic Nursing Organisation of South Africa (DENOSA) said nurses were struggling with the high number of emergencies this festive season due to a lack of resources.

DENOSA said a shortage of ventilators, in particular, was preventing nurses from delivering quality care.

DENOSA provincial secretary for the Western Cape, Sabelo Ntshanga, said a procurement delay was causing the problem.

"Because we are still having those challenges of ventilators in our institutions, we tend to be very much compromised in delivering quality care to our patients."

Ntshanga said a shortage of nurses was another contributing factor.

"In one night, the total of nurses in a trauma ward should be 12, but we find we are working with up to eight nurses, and yet the demands we are receiving and delivering nursing care in those patients is not amounting to the shortage of staff we're having."

DENOSA has urged the public to practice social responsibility and stay safe over the holiday season to limit the strain on emergency care at hospitals.