This is shocking but sadly not unique. I am extremely sorry for the patients that were crying out for assistance but I feel even deeper sympathy for the nurses in that environment. Understaffed and struggling with the overwhelming demands I am sure those nurses were every bit as devastated about this patients fall and subsequent death as the coroner and yet battled on to attempt to provide some care even though they would have known it was less than adequate. Staffing solutions, recruitment and strategies are often in the hands of people who have not walked where these nurses have and therefore don't know that pain. All solutions need to come from the people who actually know what the problems are and innovative ways forward can be created together. I agree it did appear there was a systemic problem that required action but ward level leadership to create better staffing numbers and allow timely responses to patients needs should be the starting point. I feel particularly sorry for the matron giving evidence, who was looking after and guiding her? what training and support had she been given and how many people's jobs was she doing? Nurse to bed ratio recommendations are helpful but when nursing numbers are at a minimum, senior management can resort to just moving staff around to make the numbers even with no consideration given to acuity or dependency in the areas they move staff from. This can result in long delays for patients who require assistance getting the help they need. Matrons and ward managers are therefore left powerless to improve their own ward as a successful ward will constantly be left short to support other less well managed areas. There are solutions but we have to work and stand together to create them.
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Prevention of Future Deaths report: Hazel Wiltshire (1 September 2021)
in Coroner reports
Posted
This is shocking but sadly not unique. I am extremely sorry for the patients that were crying out for assistance but I feel even deeper sympathy for the nurses in that environment. Understaffed and struggling with the overwhelming demands I am sure those nurses were every bit as devastated about this patients fall and subsequent death as the coroner and yet battled on to attempt to provide some care even though they would have known it was less than adequate. Staffing solutions, recruitment and strategies are often in the hands of people who have not walked where these nurses have and therefore don't know that pain. All solutions need to come from the people who actually know what the problems are and innovative ways forward can be created together. I agree it did appear there was a systemic problem that required action but ward level leadership to create better staffing numbers and allow timely responses to patients needs should be the starting point. I feel particularly sorry for the matron giving evidence, who was looking after and guiding her? what training and support had she been given and how many people's jobs was she doing? Nurse to bed ratio recommendations are helpful but when nursing numbers are at a minimum, senior management can resort to just moving staff around to make the numbers even with no consideration given to acuity or dependency in the areas they move staff from. This can result in long delays for patients who require assistance getting the help they need. Matrons and ward managers are therefore left powerless to improve their own ward as a successful ward will constantly be left short to support other less well managed areas. There are solutions but we have to work and stand together to create them.