Transport services under stress : patient air transfers due to industrial action in Christchurch

Discusses the process by which air transfers took place and the lessons learnt from the experience during the widespread industrial action by nursing staff in the five public hospitals in Christchurch on 2 and 3 Dec 2001. Discusses the mass transfer of patients (and relatives) by road to local, private nursing homes, and by air to hospitals throughout NZ. Describes the individual assessment of all patients identified as potentially transferable as to the risk of remaining in an understaffed hospital versus that of transfer. Backgrounds the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) coordination of the triage of patients and organisation of air transfers as well as the suspension of all elective work. Source: National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa, licensed by the Department of Internal Affairs for re-use under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand Licence.