Nurses should not be fined

Concerned Newly Graduated Registered Nurse writes:Nurses are there to save lives.The Nursing Council is a juristic body stipulated and enacted by the Act of Parliament of Republic of Namibia and fully affiliated with the MOHSS. This Council has the responsibility to work closely with the MOHSS.My concern is the, in my opinion, unfair manner in which disciplinary cases of nurses are conducted. It does not follow professionalism and correct directions, only concentrating on money.What does the assessors do? No proper investigations are done prior to hearings. Contributing factors are not taken into consideration.As a newly graduated registered nurse and former police officer for 11 years, I congratulate the Minister of Health and Social Services for taking in police officers to help fill staff shortages.I have attended two disciplinary cases.From 20-25 April 2015 a case from Swakopmund was heard. I felt the case of the nurse wat not listened to properly. She had a heavy workload and high risk cases to attend to.I have been taught that in maternity and casualty all cases are high risk.The patient was seen by the MO around 02h00, but that specific night there was only one doctor present, and the maternal condition were not compromised by that time. The second doctor was only found the next morning around 08h00 and all observations were normal then.After an operation a dead baby was delivered through caesarean section and the nurse was blamed for delaying of five hours, while several members of the health team were involved. How is it possible to put all fault on a single registered nurse? And then punishing her with a N$25 000 fine and one year suspension from practising?She has performed four deliveries and one was twins. And the Government wants quality nurses.A case from Omaruru has started in April 2016 and concluded in August, in which a surgeon accidently cut the intestines of a patient during a caesarean section. When the wound was opened after three days, Septicaemia occurred, leading to the death of the woman.Five nurses, including a registered nurse, and not the doctor was found guilty. Who is finally responsible? Doctors or nurses?The nurses involved had been punished to pay lots of money, ranging from N$11 000 to N$25 000, and left jobless.The guidelines to follow after sentencing is not stated clearly. Government employees do not know the directions to follow afterward.I think the Council should be investigated.Nurses all over Namibia, lets unite and fight for our rights and justice.Time has come to correct mistakes.

Nurses should not be fined

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Republikein 2025-09-16

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Nurses should not be fined

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Republikein 2025-09-16

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