Guess this is happening elsewhere: AdelaideNow... Nursing staff levels at crisis point

Australian Nursing Federation state secretary Elizabeth Dabars says nurses, particularly at the Lyell McEwin and Royal Adelaide Hospitals, are so overworked patient safety is at risk.

"The situation has now got so bad that nurses have told us that they have cried during and at the end of their shifts," she said. "They are concerned about patient safety with patients left in corridors and waiting areas without monitors or other essential equipment and in areas that are difficult to oversee.

"Nurses have reported that they have been allocated up to 10 patients at a time despite a limit of one nurse to three patients in the agreement between SA Health and the ANF (SA branch)."

Ms Dabars said some patients were waiting 12 hours for treatment, and mental health patients were held in emergency for up to a week.

She said the ANF intended to prosecute CNAHS unless they committed to complying with staffing agreements and a range of other responses such as the implementation of minor injuries clinics, an expansion of nurse practitioner roles, an increase in the availability of beds, and better management of discharge arrangements.

SA Health chief executive officer Dr Tony Sherbon said there were enough nurses.

"The staffing arrangements at the moment are adequate. We do have busy days where we call in additional staff," he said.

"We are required to comply with the Enterprise Agreement and we are complying with the EA."

Dr Sherbon said he was "comfortable" with the ANF's requests for extra resources, and that he would write to the ANF to point out staff increases that have already occurred.

The ANF letter was prompted by a State Government announcement that it would appoint a taskforce to deal with overcrowding in emergency departments.

"The announcement over the weekend of another taskforce, which manifestly fails to adequately give nurses a voice, is not going to resolve our problems," Ms Dabars said.

Opposition health spokesman Dr Duncan McFetridge said the Government's own figures showed patient waiting times were "deplorable", with only the most urgent patients being seen within recommended waiting times.