The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) said on Monday that unless new nurses are deployed in Karin Grech Hospital, a directive will be issued to nurses to refuse any new patient admissions from 1 March. 

In a press statement, MUMN said that it is unacceptable that such a hospital has currently 45 nursing vaccancies. This is leading to high burnout and huge stress on the few nursing staff working in Karin Grech Hospital to cope with the demands of the patients under their care. 

“The burnout and stress has reached a point that all overtime is being refused by most nursing staff. 

The current record of nursing vacancies is compounded with continuous cancellation of vacation leave and study leave. The 45 nursing vacancies are resulting into every ward having a minimum of five nursing vacancies,” MUMN said.

The union added that the health division has failed to replace the exodus of foreign nurses in Karin Grech Hospital which brought the whole hospital to exceptional higher levels of crisis. 

“It is pointless and useless to admit more patients, knowing well that there will be no nursing staff allocated to such new admissions. 

The issue of patient safety cannot be ignored and MUMN has to safe guard not just the stress and burnout of the nursing staff but also the patients admitted in Karin Grech Hospital,” MUMN said. 

Karin Grech caters for highly dependent patients who require exhaustive nursing care. 

It is the only Rehabilitation Hospital in Malta which caters for patients who are suffering from strokes, spinal injuries, amputees, post-operative patients from mainly orthopaedic cases such as fractured hips and injuries to knees. It also offers a service for the elderly as rehabilitation post general medical diseases.