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According to the data of Ministry of Health, in Spain there are a total of 256,333 nurses working in the Spanish health system, both in its public and private aspects. A group of professionals who, during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been essential to face the virus and that, now, have been relegated to the I forget. This is what the main nursing groups denounce after learning about two recent decisions of the Ministry of Health
During this week, the department of Carolina Darias and its technicians have formed two important groups for the management of the present and future health system. On the one hand, the expected Covid-19 management evaluation committee and, on the other, the new phase of National Plan against Antibiotic Resistance (PRAN). In both bodies, at least in the first instance, nurses are not included, and that has pissed off the profession.
The first to raise their voices were the members of the Nursing Union, SASTE, hours after it became known that four professionals (epidemiologists and economists) would be in charge of leading the research on the management of the pandemic by the autonomous communities.
In statements to EL ESPAÑOL, SATSE has denounced that the appointment of the members of the Committee of experts who will evaluate the management of the Covid-19 pandemic it is “a new example” of how in the decisions of the public administrations, the political and “partisan” strategy weighs more than criteria such as “the general interest or the independence and objectivity in the work and analysis entrusted”.
“It is out of all logic that a body is configured to analyze, evaluate and draw conclusions on how a health crisis such as Covid has been managed and it does not have the largest healthcare professional group of our country and whose work has been essential during all phases of the pandemic “, they have argued from the Union.
To the question, Why isn’t there a nurse?, SATSE has no choice but to answer “always”. “Sectarian and elitist criteria still prevail that benefit some professional groups over others.”
But SATSE not only wants to be in this working group to complete the quota. They allege that nurses have numerous elements of judgment, based on their experience, qualification and knowledge, which are “essential” to conclude where the different administrations failed.
Antibiotics
But this has not been the only one ugly from the department of Carolina Darias. The General Council of Nursing (CGE) has made known its intention to be present at the TAKE through a “specific group of professionals” improving their participation in this important plan.
It should be remembered that the PRAN is the project by which Spain tries to improve the adherence to drug treatments by citizens. In a press release, the CGE explained that its work in this healthcare field is “essential” and that nurses are in charge of monitoring antibiotic treatments, in their rational use, promoting adherence and preventing patients from leaving half treatments or lengthening them without indication. Therefore, in his opinion, they should reinforce their presence.
The respectable of the PRAN, according to the own General Council of Nursing, They have been “open” to studying your proposal. But, for the moment, they should stay as one more member. Without providing a specific and concrete vision.
This is not the first time that public administrations have rudeness to the nursing profession. On the occasion of the celebration of Year of Nursing and the campaign Nursing Now, coordinated internationally, the General Council of Nursing and the SATSE union, together with several scientific societies, demanded the presence of nurses in the governing bodies of the Ministry of Health.
And it is that, in its entire existence, there has never been a care professional occupying a high position within the organization chart of the Ministry of Health. Neither as the holder of the portfolio (there have been several doctors) nor in the general secretariat.
A long story
In fact, the Ministry of Health is usually surrounded by a group of health experts with whom it meets from time to time. This body is called the Advisory Council of the Ministry of Health and, although it has been paralyzed with the Covid-19 pandemic, When it was formed in February 2019, it had a single nurse compared to 14 doctors.
The same happened the first time that the Government decided to listen to health voices to address the Covid-19. In the month of May, Congress of Deputies ruled the creation of specific non-permanent commissions (health area, economy, European funds, etc.) to mark the so-called Plan for the Social and Economic Reconstruction of the country.
The final document, which was approved in July 2020, was divided into the contributions of different sectors according to its scope of application and, although nurses finally appeared, it was not when it was formed.
When the specific Health Commission was launched, its members – among whom was the socialist Patxi López, who presided over it – created a list of scientific organizations and societies to contribute their health vision to this unprecedented crisis. None of them were a nurse.
Therefore, the General Council of Nursing (CGE), the SATSE Nursing Union, the National Conference of Deans of Nursing, the National Association of Nursing Directors, Scientific Nursing Societies and the State Association of Nursing Students called on the then Minister of Health Salvador Illa to launch it.
Such was the pressure carried out by the organizations that, finally, they were called to be part of this group of speakers. Among their demands, precisely, most of these organizations requested a greater presence of nurses in the governing bodies, both in the Ministry of Health as in other departments of the Executive.
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Reference-www.elespanol.com