Nurses ‘Secure Safer Care’ at new UHL ED

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The INMO has claimed that it has secured safer car for patients in the new Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick.

The nurses’ representative union held talks with management today, days after it revealed acute safety concerns about arrangements at the new unit, that is due to open on Monday.

The INMO says these talks have led to the immediate appointment of a clinical skills facilitator to ensure adequate senior nursing staff, as well as issues relating to CT scans and the rostering of adequate numbers of staff.

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The INMO say the recent media attention regarding their concerns was necessary to force management into recognising their concerns.

The INMO statement in full:

Nurses Secure Safer Care for Their Patients at University Hospital Limerick

Following a meeting this afternoon the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) Regional Industrial Relations Officer Mary Fogarty announced this evening progress at University Hospital Limerick. Nurses had raised serious patient safety concerns where they felt conditions would be unsafe in the new department. These concerns, until today, have been denied by senior management, however, today they were accepted and a range of actions have been agreed which will ensure safer care. These actions include:

The immediate appointment of a clinical skills facilitator to ensure adequate senior nursing staff support for newly qualified and junior nurses.

A commitment to immediately address issues which arose during the simulated opening of the new department relating to CT diagnostic scans. There is now in place a risk assessment and associated action plan to address serious concerns pending availability of a new emergency department CT scanner in three weeks.

Management have also committed to roster adequate numbers of staff to care for admitted patients in the emergency department and while progress was made on this issue the HSE will be required to engage directly with the INMO over the coming weeks and months to ensure safety in the context of chronic overcrowding.
Mary Fogarty, INMO Industrial Relations Officer, said, “ Through the collective action of INMO members improvements have been made which will provide safer care in the new emergency department. Our members recognise that this is a superb facility, they are committed to delivering high quality care, and the recent media attention was necessary to force management into recognising serious safety concerns. INMO members are satisfied that arising from today’s meeting management are committed to addressing the issues of concern.”