The SATSE Nursing Union reports that the emergency department at Torrevieja University Hospital is “overwhelmed,” resulting in a surge in the number of nurses. Patients are being treated in hallways and waiting rooms.

The union has released a statement that condemns the “serious staff shortage in the emergency department, a problem that has persisted since the beginning of 2024 and remains unresolved.”

They assert that the situation has only deteriorated since that time. “We’re not asking for a fix, but rather a structural increase in the nursing staff to guarantee quality care for patients and decent working conditions for professionals,” the organisation asserts.

Emergency Department personnel at Torrevieja University Hospital continue to be “overwhelmed.” They further state that the current situation involves a “insufficient number of nursing professionals to guarantee adequate care,” as two patients are being treated in the same treatment room (box), while others are being treated in the hallways and others are receiving treatment in the same waiting room.

“The workload is at an unsustainable level, and it is unlikely that the situation will improve in the upcoming weeks,” they lament.

They are now concerned that the pressure on nursing and nursing staff will be further exacerbated by the advent of Easter and summer, without any reinforcement. This could potentially jeopardise the safety of patients and the occupational health of workers.

They discovered that the hospital is experiencing a staffing deficit in emergency shifts, with a shortage of between 14 and 17 nurses Monday through Friday and between 15 and 18 on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, after comparing the staffing standards and recommendations established by the Ministry of Health. Moreover, the TCAE staff shortage is approximately 7 to 10 positions during the week, and 8 to 11 positions on weekends and holidays.

“Despite the seriousness of the situation, we have not received any response from the hospital management,” according to SATSE. In light of the absence of solutions, a second request was submitted on July 11th, 2024, for a psychosocial risk survey to evaluate the health effects of work overload on Emergency Department personnel. However, the request was not resolved.

Although they assert that the department’s management has increased the physician ratio in the emergency department, they have not done the same for the nursing ratio, which is responsible for administering patient treatment and providing front-line care.

The quality of care is being directly impacted by the shortage of nurses, which is the primary concern for healthcare workers. It is “essential” to increase the nursing personnel to ensure that all patients receive adequate care.