Treatment in corridors and waiting rooms ‘degrading’ for patients, say A&E nurses
Sunday 14 May 2023
The treatment of patients in inappropriate areas such as corridors and waiting rooms is increasingly common and compromises patient safety and dignity, emergency nurses have told the Royal College of Nursing.
Over 500 specialist A&E nurses in the RCN’s Emergency Care Association shared their experiences of overcrowded hospitals ahead of the College’s annual Congress, which begins today (Monday) in Brighton.
The full conference will discuss the impact of 'corridor care' and the “moral injury and distress for nursing staff, knowing that they are providing suboptimal care to patients.”
In her keynote address tomorrow, Pat Cullen, Chief Executive and General Secretary Royal College of Nursing will highlight the precarious and unsustainable operation of health care systems around the UK.
The survey of emergency care nurses reveals more than eight in 10 say treatment in non-designated clinical areas, including storage rooms, has increased since the beginning of last year.
Over nine in 10 raised concerns that patients may be receiving unsafe care and patient dignity, privacy and confidentiality is compromised. More than six in 10 added that the situation leads to fears of being struck off the nursing register or a court case as a result of patient harm.
Corridor care has become more common due to increased demand on hospitals because of a lack of GP appointments. Hospitals are also unable to discharge patients because of a lack of community care provision. Bed capacity runs at dangerous levels and patients in emergency departments cannot be moved to wards. As a result, emergency care staff provide care in inappropriate settings to cope with high numbers of patients.
Wales has a target of ‘95% of new patients should spend less than 4 hours in emergency departments from arrival until admission, transfer or discharge’. This has never been met. In March 2023:
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69.5% of patients in all NHS emergency departments spent less than 4 hours in the department from arrival until admission, transfer, or discharge
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10,045 patients waited 12 hours or more in emergency departments – 1,991 (24.7%) more than in the previous month.
The focus in Wales has moved to a whole systems approach for unscheduled care with the Welsh government focusing its attention on transforming access to urgent and emergency care.
RCN Wales Director, Helen Whyley, said:
“Treating patients in corridors or any area not designed for assessment and treatment is completely unacceptable. It has serious consequences for both patients and nursing staff. Our members’ mental health is greatly affected because corridor care jeopardizes patient safety and dignity. Nursing staff who are forced to care for patients in corridors, waiting rooms, or side rooms feel stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated and even powerless. This moral is leading to mass burnout and exodus of nursing staff in the profession.
“It is crucial that health care providers and policymakers work together to ensure that patients are cared for in designated clinical areas and that nurses feel supported to provide safe, dignified care for their patients.”
Ends
The RCN conducted an online survey of members of the RCN’s Emergency Care Association (ECA) exploring respondents’ experiences of corridor care. The ECA represents RCN members working in emergency care. The full survey results are here.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the Welsh government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies, and voluntary organisations.
For more information, contact the RCN press office at 02920680769 or email: MediaWales@rcn.org.uk
Page last updated - 17/05/2023
