Are our nurses giving us value for money?

THERE is no question that nursing is a critical aspect of any countries’ healthcare system. In fact, one cannot think of an effective health system without a nurse and even doctors attest to this reality.

The primary role of a nurse is to advocate and care for patients and support them through health and illness.

The nurse’s tasks include administering medications and treatments, performing some diagnostic tests such as testing for sugar and malaria, educating patients on the management of illnesses and providing support and advice to patients among many others.

The responsibilities of the nurse include keeping records of medical history and symptoms, collaborating with the healthcare team to plan for patient care and monitoring patient health.

Sometimes, they even help to address the emotional, social and spiritual needs of the patient.

Stories of how some nurses have gone out of their way and out of sympathy paid for medication for patients who were unable to afford it abound.

At the Outpatients Department and on the wards some of them have even served as interpreters with some patients ready to disclose what ails them to the nurse rather than the doctor because of how they have related to them.

Not too long ago, “Auntie Nurse” as they are affectionately called, did it all without counting the cost. They were the first port of call in our communities when it came to first aid.

In some areas where there are no doctors, nurses have been lifesavers.

But what do we see today? The situation seems to be changing drastically.

On the wards where patients are on admission, some nurses are seen grouped around the table watching television and disregarding the call of patients for assistance.

In fact, on some wards and throughout the night, the patient is left with little sleep because some nurses will keep the radio and television blaring throughout, of course they will not be able to hear the patients call and rush to assist in such an environment.

Some have positioned themselves in such a manner that the patient even fears to call them for help because they are glued to their phones.

In recent times, the admission of a relative on the ward has meant an automatic admission of another relative who is not sick.

This is because the relative would have to be around to give the admitted patient a bath, feed them and administer medications.

The relative will also have to run errands including sending drawn blood to the laboratory, changing soiled bed sheets and measuring urine output.

Some relatives have been vigilant to detect overdoses, under doses and wrong medication given to patients by nurses for administration.

One of the things most of our nurses never miss and take very seriously is ward rounds. After that, they are very careful not to soil their uniforms and ruffle their hairdos, which used to be simple with a cap on it.

Maybe in response to modern times, it is very common to see nurses with heavy make-up.

When issues of why nursing care at our public health facilities are deteriorating are raised, nurses often jump to the defence citing the overwhelming volume of work due to our increasing population.

It is true that the nurse to patient ratio is inadequate and some nurses have had to break their backs doing what Florence Nightingale was noted for, but can we say that this is the general situation?

Could it be that the powers that be have changed the role of our nurses on the quiet without informing us? Because the nurses I encounter these days are miles apart from the ever smiling, friend of the patient nurse of old.

Maybe we are seeing the new trend due to poor supervision, or is it the usual case of people having found themselves in the wrong profession because they could not get into the professions they truly desired? Or a lack of motivation?

No matter what the reasons are, someone has to make sure that once in the profession, nurses do what is expected of them.

For now, I dare say that some of our nurses are not giving us value for money and burdening the few who are already working so hard.

Writer’s E-mail: doreen.hammond@graphic.com.gh