Nurses who are not properly trained are taking ECG recordings at Gozo’s Emergency Department, MUMN claimed in a statement yesterday.
MUMN confirmed the information issued recently by various newspapers that ECG recordings taken at the Emergency Department in Gozo General Hospital are being taken by some untrained nurses, because ECG recordings do not fall part of the nurse’s duties.
MUMN said it has reported the matter to the Principal Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The union is concerned that nurses are being offered extra vacation leave by the Gozo Ministry as a bribe in exchange for time off in lieu, so such nurses do not abide by the scope of practice regulated by the Council for Nurses and Midwives.
The ECG is an important test which can diagnose heart attacks and should be taken by ECG technicians who have had a three-year period training leading to a diploma.
Unfortunately the Gozo Ministry has a lack of ECG technicians and therefore offered nurses one hour as time off in lieu per ECG recording to the detriment of Gozitan patients.
Patients who need an ECG recording in a medical and surgical emergency have a right that such important test is taken by the proper competent professionals. It is a pity that Gozo citizens are being treated as third-class citizens in their own mainland at Gozo General Hospital since in Mater Dei Hospital all ECGs are taken by competent technicians.
Although MUMN has reported such bad practices to the Principal Permanent Secretary – since MUMN has gathered enough evidence that time off in lieu is being awarded as a gift for such misconduct – no action was taken to stop such bad practices.
MUMN feels that it is duty-bound to inform the public that the ECG recordings taken at the Emergency Department in Gozo General Hospital are taken by staff that never had any proper training.
Gozo ministry’s reaction
In reply to questions, the Gozo ministry said it enquired upon ECG procedures adopted at the Gozo General Hospital (GGH) and was informed that all cases of patients suspected of having chest pain are first assessed by the medical officer on duty and admitted to either the general ward or the Critical Coronary Unit (CCU), as the case may be, under the care of a medical consultant. Investigations are carried out as ordered by the relative consultant. These may include both ECGs and certain blood tests including cardiac markers (CK MB, CPK, GOT, Troponin). All facilities related to these tests are available at the Gozo General Hospital.
It further pointed out:
“There are four ECG technicians deployed at the GGH whose roster covers up to 8pm daily and up to 2pm on Sundays and Public Holidays.
“A number of nurses have been delegated to effect ECGs when none of the technicians are at work,” the ministry said. “In these cases the relative nurse is compensated with time off in lieu”.
It added that consultants at GGH are led by the same guidelines for management of chest pain at MDH.