Staff shortages among several issues BNU still grappling with
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Between 50 and 100 additional nurses are needed in preparation for a potential surge of coronavirus cases associated with the expected fourth wave as omicron spreads, according to Bahamas Nurses Union (BNU) President Amancha Williams.
Williams said while Prime Minister Philip Brave Davis and his administration have lived up to their word to date in meeting with the unions and progressing their agenda, there remain significant challenges in healthcare relating to resources and infrastructure, all of which become increasingly critical as The Bahamas prepares for what could be another spike in cases.
We have a shortage, and so the shortage is here now and the reason we have a shortage globally [is] because everybody is trying, at the end of the day, [to] give the nurses the best contract possible.
– Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams
Early evidence suggests the variant could have a higher infection risk, though studies remain preliminary.
“I may have 100 nurses, but how do I manage the 100 nurses; and I have a country that’s full of nurses, but where are they at and how can I utilize them and how best can I organize my institution in order to have persons on duty and so forth?” Williams asked.
“The fact remains that now that we are burnt out and we experienced a government that [did] not like to pay when you work, now that you had kept me [holding on] for an honorarium, you have a lot of nurses who left after the COVID settled down.
“We had a number of nurses leave this year.
“Globally, there were a lot of nurses that left the profession.
“We have a shortage, and so the shortage is here now and the reason we have a shortage globally [is] because everybody is trying, at the end of the day, [to] give the nurses the best contract possible.
“Where are we at with that?
“I am still running behind government to pay bills that are owed to the nurses.”
The union president said the BNU’s industrial agreement has yet to be signed off on; many nurses who were promoted have not received the adjustment in salary; the hospital on Grand Bahama remains challenged; and nurses continue to experience burnout with little relief.
In Freeport, we have…nurses working there with COVID patients and in there is full of mold and nurses are having respiratory issues, apart from fighting COVID themselves.
– Bahamas Nurses Union President Amancha Williams
She also expressed concern with their insurance coverage, noting that numerous nurses who contracted COVID-19 — some more than once — did not have coverage for aftercare as they experienced long COVID symptoms, including chronic fatigue and heart complications.
“In October, we had a nurse who got shocked and right after that, we had a nurse fall through the floor in legacy. The infrastructure is poor,” she said.
“In Freeport, we have…nurses working there with COVID patients and in there is full of mold and nurses are having respiratory issues, apart from fighting COVID themselves.”
Omicron, the latest COVID-19 variant, was identified in late November by scientists in South Africa and has since been detected in more than 20 countries.
United States President Joe Biden recently introduced stricter COVID-19 travel rules as the nation reported several cases of the omicron variant.
International travelers to the US, including Americans, must take a COVID test no more than one day before travel regardless of vaccination status.
The government of The Bahamas is concerning tightening its travel protocols in light of the variant, which the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled a variant of concern.
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