BNA wants ‘urgent action’ to address unacceptable working conditions

President of the Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) is calling for an urgent resolution to the myriad issues impacting the island’s health-care workers, particularly nurses.

In a news release Dr. Fay Parris said nurses in polyclinics, geriatric and psychiatric hospitals, as well as the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, endure environments detrimental to their health.

“Patients and nurses at these institutions are subjected to unsatisfactory environments and working conditions that now call for incredibly urgent action,” she said.

“Nurses are becoming ill and are extremely frustrated with this inertia. These problems compound all efforts to stem the tide of migration.”

Dr Parris said the BNA has repeatedly communicated its concerns over the years, engaging in discussions with various Ministers of Health and Wellness regarding environmental challenges at health-care facilities.

Recent reports by Barbados TODAY pointed to nurses at the Winston Scott Polyclinic staging a protest due to unacceptable working conditions, including long standing environmental issues such as leaking roofs, mold, the presence of pests, and other concerns.

Similar protests occurred at the Maurice Byer Polyclinic in August, with no resolution to date, according to Dr Parris.

“This situation will not be taken lightly by the BNA. The association is reaching out to all its members, nurses and the public we serve to support the efforts to resolve these issues,” the BNA president said.

She cites the International Council of Nurses (ICN) recommendation that “every nurse has the right to work in a healthy and safe environment without risk of injury or illness resulting from that work.”

Additionally, the BNA calls on the Barbados Government to ratify the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 149 and Recommendation 157, addressing the unique circumstances of nurses who form a significant portion of the health-care workforce.

(RT/PR)