THEY'RE burnt out, overworked and at the end of their tether - but Maitland nurses still have some fight in them yet.
And, they won't stop until they have a commitment from the NSW Government for nurse-to-patient ratios, dedicated time to educate junior staff, better pay and conditions.
NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Maitland branch president Kylie Goodwin said a thank you goes a long way, extending the invitation to the public to share their gratitude for nurses at a barbecue on Wednesday at midday.
"We want a commitment from the current government, while we have half-a-commitment from Labor in regards to safer patient care - it doesn't go far enough," she said.
"We're trying to encourage our staff to continue the fight.
"We've lost a massive number of nurses to retirement or because of COVID-19 and we can't do it anymore, our workforce at the moment particularly at Maitland is massively junior."
NSW Labor has abandoned its support of nurse-to-patient ratios in favour of minimum safe staffing levels in the state's public hospitals.
It's committed to hiring an extra 1200 nurses and midwives if it wins the state election - a $175 million policy aimed at establishing safe midwife and nurse staff levels on a shift-by-shift basis.
It's a step in the right direction, Ms Goodwin said, but it's not the commitment nurses have asked for.
"They won't say the word ratios, it's absolutely ludicrous," she said.
"'Safe staffing numbers' is just a gloss over again of what our patients require for safe care.
"How many times can you hit your head against a brick wall without causing a head injury? We've got nurses that break down in tears when they're asked to do overtime because they physically cannot do it."
Maitland Labor MP Jenny Aitchison said she unfortunately doesn't see ratios coming into play anytime soon.
"Safe staffing levels at least gets us to better outcomes in patient safety and nurses being able to complete their shifts on time," she said.
"The collaborate care model is privatisation by stealth, the government has run down the public system without enough staff and the theory is that everyone will be driven into the private health system - but people can't afford it.
"If you undermine the system by not staffing it, it puts more pressure on the staff who stay and it leads to burnout."
Ms Aitchison said she is seeking a meeting with NSW Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor.
The Herald contacted Ms Taylor's office for comment.
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