Mallorca hospital night shift: one nurse, 23 patients

At Son Espases University Hospital in Palma, Mallorca, one nurse looks after 23 patients on the night shift, according to the USAE union. On Friday, 16 October, the union warned that patients could be at risk and nursing staff were under strain in the infectious internal medicine and hospital custody units.

Two units, one nursing team

The same team cares for patients in both units. The custody unit, which holds prisoners receiving hospital care, has room for seven patients and remains full, USAE says. Infectious internal medicine has 16 patients with complex chronic conditions. Most need help, including changes of position, nappies and feeding through a tube, and are under strict isolation.

Union calls for more staff

USAE says only one nursing care assistant — a Técnico en Cuidados de Enfermería, or TCE — covers the night shift. It has called for more assistants immediately and reported the situation to the occupational risk prevention service. The union says the supervisor of the adult inpatient area does not consider extra staff necessary on that shift.

Topics: Jobs & labour · Health

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com