Trust in staffing crisis as eight ICU nurses quit in just two weeks

Eight highly skilled intensive care (ICU) nurses have resigned from one trust in the past two weeks and more could follow, a leading nurse has warned.

More resignations expected as working conditions remain unsustainable

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland has confirmed it is redeploying non-specialist nursing staff to fill the gaps in staffing on ICU wards, with experienced ICU nurses expected to provide supervision.

RCN Northern Ireland director Rita Devlin said the college has heard others at the trust are ‘considering their position’.

"These are highly skilled nurses who are difficult to replace and this is a very worrying situation," she said.

"Nursing staff are doing everything they can to keep services going, but it is not sustainable to work under such pressure for long periods of time without a break."

The resignations come just months after it was revealed that 182 nurses and 50 healthcare assistants had quit their jobs at the trust between January and July.

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Source: Nursing Standard, 23 November 2021