NRPP responds to doctors: nurses cannot be replaced by paramedics

The Presidium of the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives (NRPiP) has adopted a position paper on legislative and organizational proposals that would allow paramedics to be employed in hospital wards. The document is a response to the appeal of the Supreme Medical Council and, as the NRPiP stresses, arouses "great astonishment."

The Bureau points out that while the search for solutions in the face of growing staff shortages is understandable, it must not be at the expense of patient safety or to the exclusion of the different competencies of the various professions.
"Different roles - different competencies," the position paper emphasizes.

Nurses and midwives are responsible for the overall planning, implementation and evaluation of the nursing process, the constant supervision of patients and the performance of health services that require clinical expertise and continuous presence with the patient. Their role in hospital wards is, as the Bureau points out, inextricably linked to the therapeutic process and is the foundation of care for patients with diverse needs.

Paramedics, on the other hand, perform a key function in the National Emergency Medical Service system. They are prepared to deal with emergencies, pre-hospital interventions and emergency medical activities. It is in these areas that their competence is most effective and needed. The Bureau also notes that staffing shortages are also affecting emergency medical services.

The NRPP reminds us that the training standards for nurses, midwives and paramedics differ significantly, as each of these professions is being prepared to perform different tasks. The competence of paramedics does not include the activities necessary to carry out the full process of nursing a patient in a hospital ward.

Prioritize patient safety

According to the NIPiP Bureau, real systemic measures should focus on improving working conditions, increasing the employment of nurses and midwives, and complying with current standards. Avoiding the dispersion of patient responsibility - was highlighted as one of the key elements of safety.

The Bureau expresses unequivocal opposition to attempts to replace nurses and midwives with representatives of other health professions. Such actions, it says, can lead to a decrease in the quality of care and an increase in risks for patients.

Source: NIPiP