Opposition Spokesman on Health, Dr. Alfred Dawes, has expressed concern over what he says is the hasty promotion of recently graduated nurses at hospitals. 

On Friday, Regional Director of the Southeast Regional Health Authority, Errol Greene, noted that the services of nurses who recently graduated and obtained their licenses were being utilized at hospitals to cushion staff shortages, stemming from a reported nurse sick-out. 

Those recently graduated nurses reportedly started their orientation last week. 

Reacting to the move, Dr. Dawes said hastily promoting inexperienced nurses who have not completed the required orientation training programme is unfair to these new healthcare workers, who are expected to assume primary responsibility for patient care without adequate supervision. 

This, he explained is a potentially dangerous practice, which jeopardizes patients’ safety and the nurses’ careers. 

He stressed the need for a strategic and sustainable approach to address staffing challenges.

Dr. Dawes also noted that one week is not a sufficient orientation period for persons working in the healthcare sector.