Critical Care Nurses Urge Government to Equip Intensive Care Units, Review Job Cadres

By BRIAN MUSYOKA 

The nurses say the rapid expansion of critical care units has not been matched with adequate resources, putting pressure on healthcare workers and potentially compromising the quality of care offered to critically ill patients.

Speaking during a two-day conference in Embu County to launch the Society of Critical Care Nurses, the chairperson of the society, Conelia Ouma, said there was an urgent need for the government to invest more resources in critical care services.

Ouma said many critical care units across the country are still operating without adequate specialised equipment required to manage patients with serious and life-threatening conditions.

She noted that critical care nurses require sophisticated equipment and appropriate working environments to effectively monitor, manage and provide specialised care to vulnerable patients.

"We call upon the government to recognize the specialization of critical care nurses for the specialization that it is," Ouma said.

She said the government should also review the existing Human Resource terms for critical care nurses and establish the correct job cadre that reflects their specialised training, skills and responsibilities.

According to the nurses, recognising critical care nursing as a specialised cadre would help address challenges relating to deployment, career progression, remuneration and professional development.

The Society of Critical Care Nurses, which represents specialised critical care nurses in Kenya, is also calling for the development of a clear structure that supports nurses working in critical care settings.

Ouma said increased resources should be directed towards critical care services, including equipment, staffing and other essential facilities required to support specialised nursing care.

The nurses further called for continuous capacity building to enable critical care nurses to keep pace with emerging technologies, procedures and developments in the management of critically ill patients.

They said strengthening the capacity of critical care nurses was particularly important as hospitals continue to establish and expand intensive and other specialised critical care units across the country.

The society urged the government and other stakeholders to work together in addressing the challenges facing critical care nurses, saying adequate investment in the sector would strengthen the country's ability to care for critically ill and vulnerable patients.