Anaesthetists and trainee registrars at Canberra Hospital fear patient safety is being compromised because senior experienced nurses can no longer assist anaesthetists due to a change to their scope of practice.
A letter to Chief Minister Katy Gallagher reveals senior anaesthetists and trainee anaesthetic registrars are “alarmed and frustrated” at alleged decisions by Canberra Hospital administration and the ACT Health Directorate that staff say have interfered with their ability to provide safe patient care during anaesthesia for surgery.
“We, as patient advocates, stress that the quality of care we provide to patients is compromised by these decisions and the failure to collaborate with medical practitioners for this purpose warrants your attention,” the lettersaid.
The letter claims anaesthetists are being assisted by nurses who lack the “clinical experience to provide safe and adequate care” to patients.