'Warm fuzzies' not reward enough

By GEOFF CUMMING


For seven years, Tracey Matthews, a theatre nurse at an Auckland public hospital, has coped with seven-day blocks of 12-hour shifts, alternate nights and days, increasing workloads and "insufficient" pay.

"It's a great career. You get a great deal of respect. People appreciate what we do and, knowing that we have made a difference in someone's life, there's a personal reward," said Ms Matthews.

"But it doesn't help me pay my mortgage, or school fees for my children."

So Ms Matthews, 28, is joining the exodus of top nurses from public hospitals to take up a job as a sales rep with a medical supply firm - and much better pay.

"I want to go out to work for an employer who thanks me for what I do and get a reward.

"At the end of the day what we do is a really important and valuable role," said Ms Matthews. "Compare us to nurses around the world and with police and teachers and we are well below what we should be paid.

"I studied for three years, came out with a massive student loan and struggled in the workforce. People can join the police, do six months paid training and start on what I'm earning after four or five years.

"You come out bright-eyed and bushy tailed and realise this is what you did a degree for."

Her theatre nurse responsibilities include pre-op assessment, equipping the theatre for anaesthetists and surgeons, and preparing the patient. Her job has become more complicated with new technology and procedures, sicker patients, earlier discharges and increased paperwork.

"You can never relax, something may change in an instant. You need to know how to save a life."

Experienced staff have been replaced with junior nurses and new graduates. Other nurses, and many patients, report communication difficulties with migrant nurses hired to plug the gaps.

Nurses say they can earn more overseas.

"I know of a nurse in her 40s who's leaving to go to Riyadh to earn money because she can't afford to live on the income she gets here. Going to Saudi Arabia is not the safest place to go.

"I don't know a nurse who is 100 per cent happy with her position.

"Don't get me wrong, you have your good days. You form very good friendships. Because of the stress of the job we understand each other.

"You get a warm fuzzy when someone says 'thank you dear'. I will miss that."