By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Bolgatanga, Nov. 4, GNA – The management of the Upper East Regional Hospital (UERH) in Bolgatanga has appealed to the national leadership of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) to intensify advocacy for urgent staff recruitment to address the hospital’s worsening staffing crisis.
Management said the hospital was experiencing severe shortages of nurses and other healthcare professionals, resulting in excessive workloads, staff burnout and concerns about the quality of patient care.
Speaking at a meeting with the GRNMA National Executive Committee (NEC), Mr Samuel Azure Atuba, Head of Administration of the hospital, described the staffing situation as “very dire” and called for urgent intervention to prevent further deterioration.
“The staffing is critical. We are in a dire situation. Very dire,” Mr Atuba said.
He urged the GRNMA leadership to use its influence to draw the attention of the employer and other relevant authorities to the challenges confronting the hospital.
“If all of us, collectively as health workers, do not make a case for ourselves, nobody will do,” he said.
Mr Atuba said policymakers might not fully appreciate the magnitude of the difficulties healthcare workers faced on the ground, adding that the staffing situation had affected the hospital’s ability to adequately manage patients.
Madam Catherine Ayoka, the hospital’s Chief Nursing Officer (CNO), said excessive workloads were contributing to burnout, emotional distress and difficulties among some female healthcare workers, including reported miscarriages associated with work-related stress.
“There are several times ward in-charges have come to my office to complain about abortion because of the pressure of work,” she said.
Madam Ayoka said the situation had become increasingly worrying, with the hospital’s nursing workforce declining from nearly 460 to approximately 390, according to its third-quarter report.
She expressed concern about the implications for patient care and cited an instance during her morning rounds at the paediatric unit, where approximately 45 patients were being attended to by only three nurses.
“How can we have quality of care?” she asked, describing the situation as a “serious crisis.”
The CNO said adequate staffing, manageable workloads and supportive working conditions were essential to retaining healthcare professionals. She expressed concern that some staff members who proceeded on leave might not return, further worsening the hospital’s staffing challenges.
“A staff will tell you I am on leave. The next moment, they are gone. Currently, I know people who are on leave, but I know they will not come back,” she said.
Madam Ayoka appealed to the GRNMA leadership to use its position to advocate urgent measures to improve staffing levels and the welfare of nurses.
“We are pleading that you use your high office to see how you can help the nursing staff,” she said.
Responding to the appeal, Mrs Perpetual Ofori-Ampofo, GRNMA President, expressed concern about nurse attrition and staffing gaps at the hospital, saying the situation increased the workload of remaining staff and compounded the challenges in healthcare delivery.
She assured the hospital’s management that the Association’s leadership would present the issue to the Ghana Health Service and the Ministry of Health for redress.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo also called for greater attention to the mental health of nurses and midwives, noting that some healthcare professionals might be experiencing mental health challenges without being aware of them.
She expressed concern about substance abuse among some GRNMA members and disclosed that the Association was dealing with cases requiring appropriate support and intervention.
She advocated strengthened mental health services and support systems for healthcare workers.
“You cannot determine somebody’s mental health by just looking at the person physically,” she said, emphasising the need for a comprehensive approach to the wellbeing of nurses and midwives.
She encouraged hospital management and other stakeholders to make the welfare of healthcare workers a shared responsibility.
Mrs Ofori-Ampofo thanked the hospital’s management and staff for the warm reception accorded the NEC, saying the Association was pleased to interact with members and discuss issues affecting their professional lives.
The GRNMA NEC was in the region as part of its nationwide tour to engage members, healthcare institutions and other stakeholders on issues affecting nurses and midwives.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Audrey Dekalu
Reporter: Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu
Reporter’s email: [email protected]