Ciara Doherty’s husband has detailed the importance of the work nurses do following the birth of his baby daughter.
Richard Stearn said he “couldn’t get over” the sheer number of responsibilities nurses and midwives working in the National Maternity Hospital had – and the kindness and dedication he experienced throughout his time there.
“Conditions here are so tough for staff,” he said.
“Nurses & midwives are striking because they care above all about the care of their patients. We are losing all our nurses & midwives overseas because of conditions here & because they can not afford to live, rent or settle here.”
In an incredibly important Twitter thread, Richard said that during the birth of his daughter, he saw nurses and midwives cleaning, tending to patients, and counselling.
He said that the nurses and midwives “…deserve better. And so do their patients.”
You can read the thread in full here:
1/2 My baby daughter was born yesterday at the National Maternity Hospital. Staff here are incredible but I couldn’t get over how many jobs they did from cleaning, councilling. There was one nurse dedicated to our ante ward with others Conditions here are so tough for staff.
— Richard Stearn (@Richardstearn) February 5, 2019
2/2 Nurses & midwivescare striking because they care above all about the care of their patients. We are losing all our nurses & midwives overseas because of conditions here & because they can not afford to live, rent or settle here.
— Richard Stearn (@Richardstearn) February 5, 2019
3/… One nurse told me “I won’t benefit financially if we win this strike – but if it means I work with more nurses in the ward to help me here then it’s less of a strain & better for patients. The shift was 13 hours straight.
— Richard Stearn (@Richardstearn) February 5, 2019
4/..every nurse & midwife I spoke to feared they won’t win. They know they’re up against it. They deserve better. So do their patients. My daughter spent her first day listening to the protests & loud chants of the amazing women who helped bring her into the world.
— Richard Stearn (@Richardstearn) February 5, 2019
I can’t think of a better example of sisterhood & solidarity than that. I hope she grows up to be like them. #StandWithNursesAndMidwives @INMO_IRL #strike
— Richard Stearn (@Richardstearn) February 5, 2019
Richard finished his thread by saying that his daughter spent her first day “… listening to the protests & loud chants of the amazing women who helped bring her into the world.”
Ciara and Richard welcomed their first child, a baby girl, on Tuesday.
The new dad’s words came as 37,000 nurses and midwives undertook their second day of strike action yesterday.
The 24-hour stoppage affected 240 hospitals and community health services around the country. More industrial action is planned for later this month if the INMO’s demands for better pay and working conditions are not considered.
A solidarity rally in support of the nurses strike is taking place in Dublin this weekend.
