Michael Ferris
Question:26 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Health and Children the measures, if any, he will take to address the shortage of nurses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19839/97]
Written Answers. - Nursing Shortage.
Eamon Gilmore
Question:27 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to reports that a shortage of nurses is affecting a number of major hospitals and that the hospitals are experiencing difficulties in maintaining adequate staffing levels; the steps, if any, he will take to deal with this problem; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19894/97]
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:38 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Health and Children the way in which he intends to deal with the nursing crisis in the health care system. [19808/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 26, 27 and 38 together.
At the end of 1996 there was a total of 53,641 nurses registered with An Bord Altranais. Of these 44,822 were eligible to practise having paid the annual retention fee required by An Bord Altranais.
The number of nurses employed in the public health service has increased steadily in recent years. Between 1990 and 1995 the whole-time equivalent number of nursing staff employed in the public health service funded directly by my Department increased from 24,732 to 27,359 — an increase of 2,627 or 10.6 per cent. Indeed the rate of increase in the number of nursing staff employed has been higher than that for health service employment generally over the same period. At December 1996 the number had stabilised at 27,264.
Over recent years the traditional apprenticeship model of pre-registration nursing education and training is being replaced by a new diploma based programme. Nursing students on the programme are supernumerary to service requirements. The "traditional" student nurses' service contribution is being replaced by an appropriate grade-skill mix of qualified nurses and other grades.
Thus, there is an underlying trend away from less qualified student nurses to fully qualified nurses. Another factor which should be taken into account is the increasing trend in recent years among health service employers to facilitate nurses who, for personal reasons, do not wish to commit themselves to full-time work. There are now nearly 4,000 nurses working in formal job-sharing arrangements in addition to the significant number who work part-time.
The evolving role of the qualified nurse together with structural and work changes appropriate for the effective discharge of that role is central to the terms of reference of the Commission on Nursing chaired by Ms Justice Mella Carroll. The commission, which recently published its interim report, will issue its recommendations on these matters in its final report. If it is the case that some of the tasks undertaken by nurses are inappropriate to nurses and can be undertaken by other grades of staff, and it seems from the commission's interim report that this is the case, then issues relating to the availability of nurses must be viewed in that light. It will be necessary to review this very valuable resource to ensure that nurses are not used inappropriately for non-nursing duties.
While the recruitment of nurses is primarily a matter for individual employers, I have asked my officials to keep the overall issue of the availability of nurses under review and to examine with health service employers whether any special initiatives are required in relation to recruitment.