Stressed nurses quit hospitals for prostitution work

[kevinUsa]

EXHAUSTED and demoralised nurses would rather work as prostitutes than in Queensland's crumbling hospitals, says one former registered nurse.

The mother of two with 10 years' experience as a registered nurse, who wanted to be known only as Jenna, has told how she and at least four of her colleagues have found new jobs working in brothels.

"We could no longer work in such an understaffed and stressful environment," she said.

"I was overworked, poorly paid and a mistake could have led to charges if I caused a death.

"I came to the conclusion the nursing shortage wasn't my problem but it was my responsibility to protect myself from burning out or making a fatal mistake."

Queensland Nurses Union assistant secretary Beth Mohle said the union was aware nurses were leaving the system due to workloads and burnout, and were experiencing record levels of frustration.

"A survey of nurses' attitudes undertaken last year found most nurses love nursing but hate their jobs," she said.

"There's a tension there that nurses feel they can't deliver the quality of nursing they want to."

She said based on population growth projections, Queensland would need an additional 16,000 nurses in the private, public and aged-care sectors by 2014.

"Queensland is already behind the rest of Australia in terms of registered nurse numbers and is over-represented in the unlicensed assistant-in-nursing category," Ms Mohle said.

[Daaarling]

fake news. Nurses are in high demand and paid well in Australia.