Not all nurses have had an increased workload during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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In fact a survey of primary health care nurses led by University of Wollongong researchers have found almost half had been asked to work reduced hours, been threatened with termination or let go as a result of the pandemic.
The survey of 637 primary health care nurses found that job security and safety concerns were affecting the professional and mental health of primary care nurses.
Primary health care nurses, who work outside of hospitals, such as in general practice and community nursing, were also concerned about the quality of care their patients were receiving during the COVID-19 lockdown.
The study was led by Professor Elizabeth Halcomb from UOW's School of Nursing, Australia's leading researcher in primary health care nursing.
"The primary role of many of these nurses in the community is to conduct regular check-ups with elderly and chronically ill patients. There are very real concerns that the quality of care is declining and that chronic conditions are not being managed or supported," Professor Halcomb said.
Unlike the large State-funded acute care services, primary and community health care nurses are employed in a multitude of non-government organisations and small businesses. This makes their employment highly sensitive to changes in funding, service demand and business structures.
"It is a stark reminder of the perverse nature of our funding model that nurses are faced with a lack of job security at a time when the Australian community needs them the most to both manage the health issues of the pandemic and support ongoing management of chronic conditions," Prof Halcomb said.
Adding to these concerns is the lack of availability of personal protective equipment (PPE), only around a quarter of respondents reported always having sufficient masks and gowns available. Many primary health care nurses do not have available access to supplies of protective equipment.
"We want to fast track the release of this data, which could potentially influence policy and practice in the short and long term."