Starship children's hospital nurses warn severe staffing gaps threaten patient safety

A nurse working at Starship Hospital's paediatric haematology and oncology ward in Auckland raised concerns that chronic nurse shortages are compromising care for seriously ill children. She described shifts where up to five patients are assigned to a single nurse, noting that medication doses are often given late and that errors become more likely under such pressure. The nurse also highlighted a monthly loss of at least one staff member to other departments or hospitals, citing pay and working conditions as factors.

Hospital director Greg Williams responded that the facility maintains a low medication-error rate and that all vacant nursing posts have been or are being filled, with senior staff and personnel from Auckland City Hospital providing supplemental support. He emphasized that staffing levels are adjusted dynamically to match workload fluctuations.