Having one midwife look after up to 10 mothers and their new born babies at a time is "unsafe", but is the situation some have faced at the Shoalhaven Hospital, nurses say.
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Conditions like these are why local members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) took to Shoalhaven Hospital on Tuesday to demand better staff-to-patient ratios and higher pay, adding their voice to the statewide strike.
Amongst the calls were demands for babies to be counted when nurse-to-patient ratios are calculated, for the sake of hospital patients as well as staff.
Local NSWNMA member and midwife for more than 40 years, Jenny Greed, said babies are not counted in the nurse-patient calculation which has produced unsafe situations.
"We hear of our colleagues working with 10 mums," said Ms Greed.
"Those 10 mums have 10 babies. So that's one midwife looking after 20 people.
"How can midwives give adequate care? How can mothers learn when the midwife is running between all of those priorities?"
The nurses said they need a more transparent ratio in order to care for babies who may require more attention, and that COVID-related challenges have added to the pressure.
"One baby may be unwell. Another baby may need regular observations because mums are diabetic," said Ms Greed.
"And another baby may need constant monitoring including hourly observations. But according to the government, that baby for the nurse or midwife doesn't exist.
"Not only are less women having less support in labour due to restrictions, we also need to screen all patients and their partners for COVID. All of that added responsibility falls back on the midwives."
I've recently worked an 18 hour shift in full PPE, where I got two toilet breaks, no meal breaks. It's inhumane and nurses and midwives can't keep doing it.
- NSWNMA member and Shoalhaven midwife, Jenny Greed
Ms Greed said midwives are asking for a "reasonable" ratio of one midwife to three mothers, plus their babies.
"It means you would have time to offer breastfeeding support, postnatal support, and proper care and comfort to your patients. It would give you time to actually sit and listen to mums," she said.
Shoalhaven Hospital and Milton Ulladulla Hospital saw hundreds of NSWNMA members walk off the job for a 24 hour stoppage on Tuesday.
The NSWNMA crowd at the Shoalhaven Hospital were joined by South Coast Labour Council, Unions Shoalhaven and Teacher's Federation members in support of the strike.
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Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
