NCOP
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 279
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 08 June 2012
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 16)
Mr W F Faber (DA-NC) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether the intensive care unit (ICU) at the Letaba hospital in
Limpopo has a sufficient number of trained ICU nursing staff; if not,
why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether any professional ICU staff is currently on (a) study leave
and (b) suspension; if not, how was this conclusion reached; if so,
how did his department address these vacancies;
(3) whether nurses are being allocated according to patient ratios in the
ICU; if not, what determines the number of nurses required; if so,
what are the relevant details?
CW377E
REPLY:
According to the Limpopo Department of Health,
1) Yes, Letaba Hospital has sufficient number of trained ICU staff. There
are 13 professional nurses in ICU. A total of 7 of these nurses are
ICU trained, 1 has just completed her studies and another 1 began
training in April 2012. In total there will be 8 ICU trained nurses as
from July 2012.
2) (a) 2 nurses are on study leave;
(b) No ICU nurses are on suspension.
3) Yes, nurses are allocated according to patient ratios. The Hospital
has 4 active beds out of 8 beds in ICU. A total of 3 to 4 patients are
admitted in ICU with 8 ICU trained professional nurses.
END.