asked the Minister for Health if he has received the annual report of St. James's Hospital, Dublin which draws attention to the chronic shortage of nurses in the geriatric field; if an estimate of the overall shortage of nurses in geriatric care is available and the measures planned to improve the career structure for nurses providing geriatric care thus relieving the chronic shortage of personnel in this speciality.
Written Answers. - Shortage of Geriatric Nurses.
420.
I have seen the annual report of St James's Hospital. The report refers to the difficulty of recruiting and retaining nurses but does not state that there is a chronic shortage. In fact the report mentions that the nursing establishment of the hospital was maintained at a reasonable level all through the year. The hospital has confirmed that the problem in the geriatric wards is not one of shortage but of frequent turnover of staff. When my Department made inquiries last week there was no vacancy in the geriatric wards.
While it seems that geriatric work is not very attractive to nurses I am not aware that there is a general shortage in this field. A special allowance is payable to nurses in geriatric hospitals and units. The new training programme for general nurses requires that student nurses in the course of their training must acquire clinical experience in geriatric nursing. This period that they will have to spend in the geriatric area will, it is hoped, give them a greater appreciation of such nursing and stimulate their interest in that area.
I expect very shortly to have the views and recommendations of a working party which has been carrying out a wide review of the nursing services in this country.