When a nurse works in the ICU and High Dependency Unit (HDU) of a tertiary hospital and started a shift at 7 am (left house at 5.45 am and woke up at 5 am) was asked at the last minute just before knocking off shift work to do a double shift (pm shift) from 3.15 pm to 9.30 pm, do you think this nurse will have the ability to focus at work when he/she is physically exhausted after such a long day? The patients at the ICU and HDU are critically ill and often goes into 'Code Blue' status that need immediate attention or resuscitation.
With the nursing staff that tired and fatigue, will the patients have the best care given to them?
That is the state of affairs our nurses in Singapore are often put through. If the nurse refuses to take the 2nd shift, the nurse will be black marked by the senior nursing staff and branded as not a team player! TEAM PLAYER at the expense of the patients! What nonsensical management philosophy and concept is this?
No wonder the qualified and well trained nurses are leaving the profession in numbers, not that they are paid good equitable salaries to begin with.
Frustrated Nurse
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