Staff at Rotunda neonatal unit ‘would feel safe as a patient there’

Eight out of 10 staff working in the neonatal unit of the Rotunda Hospital would feel safe being treated there as a patient and believe that medical errors are handled appropriately in the neonatal ICU.

But while nine in 10 like their job, six in 10 felt it was difficult to speak up if they perceived a problem with patient care and just a fifth felt the levels of staffing in the ICU are sufficient to handle the number of patients.

The findings are contained in a paper published in the most recent edition of the Irish Medical Journal (IMJ), entitled ‘Staff attitudes towards Patient Safety Culture and Working Conditions in an Irish tertiary neonatal unit’.

The paper was published as it emerged that the hospital had asked the Government to fund a €40m extension to its existing premises pending a planned €300m relocation to the campus of Connolly Hospital in Blanchardstown. The hospital highlighted particular concerns around cramped conditions in its neo-natal unit, making it more vulnerable to spread of infection.

The IMJ research, an analysis of the perceptions of 99 staff working in the 39-bed neonatal unit, conducted via questionnaire, found almost eight in 10 agreed that the hospital was a good place to work.

A similar percentage agreed that fatigue impairs performance during emergency situations such as resuscitations and seizures, while 83.6% agreed they were more likely to make errors in tense and hostile situations.

Perceptions of management obtained the lowest scores, with just over half (55.6%) saying they felt hospital administration supported their daily efforts. Less than half of respondents (47.2%) felt the hospital deals constructively with problem personnel.

The majority (71.7%) felt physicians and nurses work together as a well co-ordinated team and 80.3% felt that decision making in the ICU utilises input from all relevant personnel.

Neonatal research officer Liam Dwyer, lead author of the research, said there were “several key areas for future improvement” and that their questionnaire highlighted “two particularly important points: perceived lack of support from hospital management and apprehensions regarding stress recognition and working conditions”.

He said a number of methods could be implemented to create a more supportive work environment with regard to staff concerns about safety, including the promotion of a no-blame culture vis-a-vis medical error.

He said effective management “is vital for ensuring good morale, collegiality, and teamwork”.