Nurses rally over sick bubs 'parked in cramped unit'
Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals.
About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime.
They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials.
"Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said.
"Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions."
About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say
Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six.
The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says.
Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says.
Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes.
"It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said.
The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care.
Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget.
"Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday.
"The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible.
"When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care."
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The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Nurses rally over sick bubs 'parked in cramped unit'
Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals. About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime. They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials. "Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said. "Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions." About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six. The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says. Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says. Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes. "It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said. The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care. Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget. "Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday. "The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible. "When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care." Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals. About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime. They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials. "Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said. "Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions." About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six. The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says. Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says. Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes. "It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said. The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care. Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget. "Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday. "The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible. "When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care." Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals. About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime. They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials. "Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said. "Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions." About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six. The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says. Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says. Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes. "It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said. The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care. Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget. "Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday. "The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible. "When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care." Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals. About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime. They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials. "Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said. "Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions." About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six. The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says. Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says. Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes. "It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said. The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care. Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget. "Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday. "The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible. "When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care."
West Australian
7 hours ago
- West Australian
Nurses rally over sick bubs 'parked in cramped unit'
Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals. About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime. They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials. "Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said. "Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions." About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six. The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says. Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says. Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes. "It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said. The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care. Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget. "Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday. "The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible. "When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care."
Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
Nurses rally over sick bubs 'parked in cramped unit'
Nurses and parents of premature babies are battling to find space in a tight intensive care unit, using a former storeroom at one of Australia's busiest hospitals. About 80 nurses at Westmead Hospital supported their overworked colleagues from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in western Sydney by walking out on Monday lunchtime. They made their voices heard after their repeated complaints about the lack of beds, space or staff to treat preterm babies with critical care issues went unanswered by the hospital's management and senior public health officials. "Having to double- or triple-park sick babies into a cramped area that was originally a storeroom is not what the people of western Sydney should expect in 2025," NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association president O'Bray Smith said. "Staff are leaving, cutting their hours, or switching from full-time to part-time hours because of the stress and demoralising conditions." About one in six newborns pass through a NICU or lower-acuity special care nursery each year, official figures say Westmead's NICU, catering for more than 2.5 million residents in western Sydney, is one of a handful in Australia capable of the highest level of complex medical care, known as level six. The 44-bed unit is staffed for 80 per cent capacity, but has been surging to 140 per cent due to a sharp increase in the number and complexity of babies needing critical care, the nurses' union says. Parents of premature children are sometimes forced to trek to Newcastle or Canberra because of overcrowded conditions at Westmead, the union says. Ms Smith said the NICU's design layout remained a major challenge, with parents and staff fighting to find space among life-saving machines and tubes. "It wasn't designed over two decades ago with massive population growth in mind," she said. The union wants the unit increased to 50 beds and a minimum of 24 nurses working per shift, up from 21, to help deliver safe neonatal care. Premier Chris Minns has vowed to learn more about the situation before committing to any increased funding, a day before the state's budget. "Paediatric work in major public hospitals in western Sydney in particular is hard, and we need them," he said on Monday. "The work that they do every single day, the miracles that they perform, the lives that they save, is incredible. "When it comes to the specifics of Westmead, of course, we'll listen about patient care."
