By: Natasha Archary
The DA says Gauteng is short of 2700 ICU (Intensive Care Unit) nurses, but there has been no training to upskill since 2019.
According to DA Gauteng Shadow Health MEC, Jack Bloom, Gauteng hospitals should have 3340 ICU nurses but only 659 of those are currently working.
The shocking discovery was revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, in response to questions raised by Bloom.
The nurse to patient ratio is ICU’s should be 1:1 and 1:2 for the High Care Unit, and according to this ratio, there should be 3340 ICU nurses.
However, 317 specialised nurses posts are vacant because of a shortage of ICU nurses.
Training for these nurses was discontinued in 2020 because the old programme did not align with the Higher Education Qualification Sub Framework.
In a statement, the shadow MEC said, “It is unbelievable that nurse training is halted by red tape and incompetence. Many patients die because they don’t get proper care in understaffed ICUs. And the waiting lists for operations get longer because ICU care is required after major surgery.”
The DA is pushing in parliament for the lifting of irrational restrictions on nurse training, and the expedited approval of training programmes.
Rapid expansion of nurse training in both private and public sectors is needed to counter the massive shortage of specialised nurses.
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