Nurses unions back ICU strike, warn of further measures (updated)

Hospitals are not understaffed, operator Okypy said on Monday after nurses unions backed their colleagues at Nicosia general hospital’s ICU for making an urgent call for more nurses to cover the needs in intensive care.

In a written statement, nurses’ union Pasyno and the nurses’ branch of Pasydy said that an impromptu ICU protest, which took place on Friday, was “completely justified,” as it addressed the hospital’s overcrowded Covid ward and understaffed ICU.

“Nurses at the specific ward constantly work overtime to ensure a safe amount of staff on every shift, which leads to burnout,” the unions said.

They added that despite assurances from the hospital that the correct nurse to patient ration would be ensured, this has not been the case so far.

Speaking to Cybc, Okypy spokesman Charalambos Charilaou said that the organisation is doing all it can “in this time of crisis” to cover any gaps by moving staff around hospitals when necessary.

He added that hospitals are not in fact understaffed, but gaps are created from absences due to Covid – either because staff members are close contacts of a Covid case, or because they have it themselves.

“Okypy and the hospital’s management must find solutions to this understaffing issue, avoiding making any moves before ensuring the correct and orderly operation of all wards, and consulting the staff,” the unions said.

Lastly, they warned that if no efforts are made towards solving these issues, their members “will have no other choice but to take dynamic measures”.