Continued abuse in hospital emergency departments made for a far-from-festive Christmas for nurses

A Nurses Organisation survey has found 84-percent of ED nurses faced unacceptable behaviour in this period, dealing with shouting, swearing, physical aggression, and threats.

College of Emergency Nurses spokesperson Natasha Hemopo says at least 55-percent were working in understaffed EDs when this happened.

She says a chronic health worker shortage is growing wait times, and causing frustration for patients and family.

Hemopo says all of this impacts clinical care, and patients need safe staffing levels, not an artificial 95-percent response target.