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Botswana: Nurses On Go Slow
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Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone)
15 April 2008
Posted to the web 15 April 2008
Onalenna Modikwa
Selebi-Phikwe
Since the introduction of scarce skills allowances that excluded nursing officers, patients visiting health facilities are already feeling the pinch, as nurses are now sticking to their job - strictly nursing care.
Nursing officials in Selebi-Phikwe, Mmadinare, and Bobirwa planned to petition President Ian Khama, Minister of Health Lesego Motsumi and Minister of Local Government Margaret Nasha to voice their concerns. However, the petition floundered at the 11th hour as the Nurses Association of Botswana (NAB) was said to be engaged in negotiations with the relevant ministry. But the concerned nurses indicated yesterday that they want feedback from NAB by Friday this week or else they would do what they deem appropriate.
Representatives of the said nurses argued during an interview that the attraction and retention policy for the public service has not included nurses but other nursing cadres, whose jobs are being done by nursing officers. "We have already started sticking to our job description. It is not a strike but doing what our jobs require of us." They further noted that it is not the brainchild of nurses in Selebi-Phikwe region alone as all nurses in their respective regions intend to deliver similar petitions.
They indicated that the conditions and situations at the health facilities dictate that they carry out duties outside their mandate, primarily to save lives but the "government seems not to recognise the major role nursing officers are playing".
They stated that they are forced to consult, diagnose, prescribe medication, suture, and venu-puncture, which are the responsibilities of medical practitioners.
They also said that they do drugs management that includes dispensing, ordering of drugs and medical equipment, stock taking as well as transporting and issuing of corpses.
They indicated that nurses have long lobbied for removal of these non-nursing duties through their organisations and unions but to no avail. They said as such they are convinced that they qualify for scarce skills allowances. "The undersigned nurses will stop performing the above listed non-nursing duties and will reserve them for responsible nursing personnel," states the petition they are yet to deliver.
They expressed concern that their association often fails them as it never acts timeously to address their grievances as such they are left with no choice but to withdraw their membership.
Representatives of the nurses noted that what hurt them most is that doctors are not fully trained and acquire most basic skills from them. "We do not see the need to further our post basic skills and nurses' exodus for greener pastures will continue to haunt this country if the government does not want to recognise the major role we are playing. It is high time we relieved ourselves of duties outside our job descriptions and we do not have a legal back-up for accidents that may occur while carrying out duties not described (prescribed) for us."
They also indicated that the Directive states that nurses who acquire additional diplomas in their specific areas of specialisation should be rewarded through appropriate notching but regret that this is not happening as it is only seen on the White Paper.
Nurses warned that failure to reconsider this matter as urgent, specialist nurses will not renew their practising licences at the end of the year because they are not paid for them.
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NAB president Keabitsa Ramantela confirmed that the petition had stalled because of negotiations the association was having with the ministry last week. "I have already communicated the feedback to them so they must be having an answer for you," she said.
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