Gisborne Hospital nurses to strike over emergency department staffing

Nurses at Gisborne Hospital’s emergency department (ED) are scheduled to strike for one hour on Wednesday, September 9, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Approximately 34 members of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) are participating in the industrial action to protest unsafe staffing levels.

Staff representatives report that the department has faced severe shortages since late last year, leading to multiple “code red” situations. The crisis is attributed to high workloads, staff burnout, and resignations, including the loss of 10 senior nurses over the past year. The situation has been exacerbated by a winter surge in influenza and respiratory syncytial virus cases.

NZNO delegate Clara Dolman-Tuhou stated that the current staffing levels put patients, health workers, and the community at risk. While Health New Zealand has proposed adding several full-time-equivalent positions, nurses argue these measures are insufficient to replace the lost experience and capacity within the department.