'Thrown under the bus': Sydney nurse makes desperate plea over Covid 'mess'

A Sydney nurse has pleaded with the Australian government to support healthcare workers in a heart-wrenching petition detailing the harsh realities of overwhelmed hospitals.

The nurse — who wishes to remain anonymous — says the prime minister has failed health care workers at "every turn" and frontline workers are now being "thrown under the bus" to "clean up his mess".

"[Myself] and every other nurse I know is burnt out and can't take much more," the nurse said. "Thanks aren't enough — we need leadership."

The registered nurse who works in oncology, palliative and Covid wards said Prime Minister Scott Morrison has failed healthcare workers "at every turn".

"Ignoring pleas to fund hospitals and testing, prioritising private profit, and failing to plan," the petition, organised by left-leaning political group GetUp, reads.

"While critical workers are working till they're 'drunk with fatigue' – our Prime Minister is telling us he's got it all under control.

"We can't even get tested to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe."

While public hospitals are largely run by the state, the nurse called for the Morrison government to put health first, "before politics and big business mates."

"Ordinary people have been resilient and courageous — we're doing our bit.

"With a huge public outcry we can demand Morrison hold up his end of the bargain — and that means putting health first."

'I don't know if I'm Covid positive while caring for vulnerable patients'

The nurse also detailed the dangerous hours healthcare workers are being forced to pull, recalling finishing a 12-hour day shift over Christmas, sleeping in their car for two hours, then working another 12-hour shift.

"We've been told that if we have Covid but are asymptomatic, we should work," they continued.

"I've been thrown into administering chemo even though I'm not trained. I can't find rapid tests, so I have no idea if I'm positive while caring for my vulnerable patients."

The petition calls for a number of changes to be made, including ensuring proper staff wages and health and safety measures, increasing wages and providing mental health care.

"Equip hospitals, aged care and disability services, health clinics, testing centres and pharmacies with the funding, PPE and logistical support to meet the healthcare needs of the community," the petition read, adding they're asking for the "bare minimum."

"Help people stay safe by funding Medicare to sustain equitable access to healthcare for people in regional and remote communities, funding Telehealth services, ensuring access and supply of RATs and jabs and implementing universal Covid safety measures in the community."

In January, NSW Health announced asymptomatic health workers who are in isolation due to being a close contact of a positive case will be permitted to leave isolation in "exceptional circumstances".

• Nurse reveals the 'one thing' people still don't understand in the pandemic

• Why people are getting Covid twice in as little as one month

• Family's heartbreak as girl, 5, dies with Covid: 'Borrowed time'

The exemption to the public health order signed off by NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard means close contacts can leave self-isolation to attend work if they have been identified by their employer as critical and cannot work from home.

The exemption only allows them to go from home to work and if they develop symptoms they have to get a PCR test and can't return to work until they test negative.

NSW nurses demand change

In September, ahead of a surge of Covid cases in NSW, nurses across the state demanded the NSW government address intensive care unit (ICU) staffing levels in an open letter to the premier.

"We are extremely concerned about our ability to provide safe nursing care under current staffing levels afforded by the NSW government to ICUs around this state," the letter read.

"The added demands of the Covid-19 pandemic, testing capacity and surging admissions is forcing our clinical workforce to the brink, placing our registration at risk on every shift and compromising safe patient care.

"We urge you and your government to urgently fix the ICU staffing crisis. It cannot wait."

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.