Sir, - Might I suggest that contrary to the sentiment in the article "Hospital forced to defer 30 operations" (The Irish Times, October 31st), we do not have a shortage of nurses in Ireland (nor in Northern Ireland). What we have is a shortage of nurses who wish to work under present conditions in the health services (heavy workloads, poor pay, unsociable hours, minimal bonuses, etc.). Many nurses feel their present position does not justly respect or reward their many years of education and training, resulting in a shortage of qualified nurses in our hospitals.
While one should commend the on-going, in-house training in a number of hospitals throughout the country, this, I feel, is not a long-term solution. To maintain national standards in nursing care and practice, nurse education needs to be provided in academically validated and clinically audited schools/colleges of nursing. In such educational institutions curricula undergo rigorous scrutiny before being validated as appropriate training/education course for nurses.
As one of the biggest employers in the country, the health service might want to consider, as a matter of urgency, reviewing its human resource philosophy, with particular emphasis on retaining and recruiting of nursing staff. In the meantime the relentless pull of the many other sources of employment in this country will continue to attract not only our present but also our future nurses. - Yours, etc.,
Fiona Martin, Nurse Lecturer, QUB, Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff, Co Down.