12 December 2018

ANMF has been assisting the Psychiatric Emergency Nurses (PEN’s) to raise workload concerns with senior Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) management.

The PEN’s in the RHH Department of Emergency medicine (DEM) report that the number of patients admitted to DEM and awaiting beds for prolonged periods has hit an unprecedented level. Members report their workloads have hit an unsustainable level, they are regularly missing meal breaks and are beginning to burn out.

ANMF wish to take this opportunity to thank the RHH PENS for their hard work during this difficult period. ANMF have raised the workload grievance and received a response from RHH management. PENs are currently reviewing the response.

RHH have committed to creating a PEN casual pool to assist with increased sick leave. However other offers of assistance with workloads provide no time-frames and little promise of solutions to current concerns in the near future.

ANMF will work with PENs on the next steps pending their review of the response.