Gauteng is short of 2700 ICU nurses but no training since three years ago
3 November 2022
Gauteng hospitals should have 3340 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nurses, but only 659 ICU nurses are working, and no new ICU nurses have been trained since 2019.
This shocking information is revealed by Gauteng Health MEC Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko in a written reply to my questions in the Gauteng Legislature.
According to Nkomo-Ralehoko, there should be 3340 ICU nurses based on the number of ICU and high care beds and the nurse:patient ratio of 1:1 for ICU and 1:2 for the High Care Unit.
She says there are 317 specialised nurses posts that are vacant because of the shortage of ICU nurses.