Low numbers of nurses working in the state's hospitals could result in bed closures if vacant shifts are unable to be filled.
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The admission was made on Monday evening during the health budget estimates by state health commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, who said the Tasmanian Health Service was having to fill vacant shifts on a daily basis with contract nurses.
"In terms of vacant shifts across our hospitals - and often you'll see reporting on vacant shifts - we, every single day, are filling those vacant shifts in terms of local nurses or agency nurse deployments," she said.
In cases where a nurse could not be found to fill a vacant shift, Morgan-Wicks said hospitals would close beds to ensure operations standards were met.
"We certainly do not try to operate hospitals by leaving vacant shifts, we are attempting to fill them," she said.
"The best fill is a permanent FTE or a permanent part-time FTE, we then have to go to an agency or locum nurses and if we are unable to successfully fill vacant lines we will look at closure of beds to ensure a safe operating environment is always maintained."
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian secretary Emily Shepherd said while bed closures due to low staffing numbers were not an everyday occurrence, they did happen.
Ms Shepherd said in some cases clinical nurse educators - responsible for training and supporting early-career nurses - were being allocated on-ward-patients to help fill the vacant shifts.
Franklin Labor MHA David O'Byrne said using contract nurses was costing the government more and would not address the core issues needed to develop a sustainable nursing workforce.
"Rather than tackle the issues causing workforce shortages in the first place, like offering competitive wages and reasonable working conditions, the government has opted for the more expensive option of outsourcing health staff," he said.
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Andrew Chounding
An experienced multi-platform journalist focusing on the issues that impact health in Tasmania. With a background in social research and public policy, health reporting for Andrew is about ensuring the best health outcomes for the Northern Tasmanian community. Contact Andrew at: andrew.chounding@examiner.com.au or 0437 358 262
An experienced multi-platform journalist focusing on the issues that impact health in Tasmania. With a background in social research and public policy, health reporting for Andrew is about ensuring the best health outcomes for the Northern Tasmanian community. Contact Andrew at: andrew.chounding@examiner.com.au or 0437 358 262
