Senior nurses must be freed from dealing with mountains of paperwork if hospitals want to prevent mistakes.
That’s the call from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) as MSPs prepare to debate new legislation this week.
There are fears that the SNP Government may try to axe an amendment to the Health and Care (Staffing) Scotland Bill by the Greens, who want senior charge nurses (SCNs) to be “non-caseloading”.
RCN representative Lesley Clarke, 46, believes it is “hugely important” for SCNs like her not to have a caseload to ensure quality of care and patient safety.
She said: “If we don’t have a caseload, we have an overview of everything that is going on in the local clinical area.
“If staff are struggling or need support, I can help them. As an SCN, you are a clinical expert in your area and make sure less experienced or student nurses are working well.
“Staff can come to speak to me about any concerns. If I have a caseload it is more difficult. Mistakes can be made and a lot of time staff feel they are not being supported.”
Lesley, who has been nursing for 20 years, said she knows of medicine errors being made by inexperienced staff because an SCN is dealing with her own patients.
She added: “Without a caseload, you are more accessible for patients and relatives.”
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Green MSP Alison Johnstone said: “SCNs are key to the ongoing delivery of safe care. A freedom of information request to health boards in 2017 showed that of 911 senior charge nurses, only 115 were non-caseload holding.
“We need to work towards having an experienced professional in charge of a ward.”
