Mollyn Nakabea 
The Fiji Nursing Association believes more than 650 nursing positions remain vacant in the country’s public health system, as 12-hour shifts are set to be introduced at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital from tomorrow.
The association says the shortage is already placing pressure on frontline workers and raising concerns about patient care at the country’s largest hospital.
General Secretary Filomena Talawadua says current staffing levels are far below what is required to ensure safe nurse-to-patient ratios.
“At the moment, we have about 2,251 nurses working, but there are more than 650, almost 700 vacant positions that remain unfilled. As long as those vacancies exist, there is a crisis, and it must be addressed because we are dealing with unsafe nurse-to-patient ratios.”
Talawadua says the planned 12-hour shifts, typically implemented during national emergencies raise concerns about whether adequate support systems are in place for nurses already under strain.
She adds that without urgent recruitment and retention measures, longer working hours could worsen fatigue and impact both staff wellbeing and patient safety.
FBC News has sent questions to the Ministry of Health.
