The Italian healthcare system is constantly evolving, getting worse, and the debate about the role of the various professional figures is always heated. In particular, the introduction of the Health Assistant has generated (rightly) many doubts among nurses and OSS. Instead of always creating different figures, they should focus on collaboration and recognizing the value of each of these figures—Nurses, Midwives, OSS—to provide quality care to patients. They invest billions of public money, just to avoid giving a European-average salary to healthcare professionals. The latest proposal comes from Fratelli d’Italia, the Health Assistant, a sort of jack-of-all-trades: nurse, pediatric nurse, OSS and OSSS, the only thing missing is the historical experience passed down from senior to junior colleagues (which is no small thing) This new figure strongly risks greatly diminishing the work of OSS and OSSS, but also bringing confusion to nursing and midwifery activities. The health assistant promises to be able to do everything, it even has its own Order that will interact with Fnopi. The proposal, which we strongly reject, in our opinion will only create confusion. Some activities of the super professional are: Plans, manages and evaluates the nursing care intervention, ensures the correct application of diagnostic and therapeutic prescriptions and acts both individually and in collaboration with other health and social workers, takes care of cleaning and environmental hygiene. It doesn't end here: artificial respiration, external cardiac massage, assisting the doctor in various ward and operating room activities, oxygen therapy, administration of prescribed medicines and execution of curative treatments on doctor's prescription and, if necessary, under their supervision. Hypodermic injections, intramuscular injections, IV infusions, blood draws, dressings and bandages, feeding with gastric tube, electrocardiograms, gastric lavage. Assistance to the newborn in an incubator even in case of oxygen therapy, assistance to the newborn undergoing phototherapy even in case of oxygen therapy, capillary blood sampling, umbilical dressing, collaboration with the pediatrician regarding the timing and methods of weaning and assistance in psychomotor activity, assistance to patients in the obstetric ward, sterilization and carrying out other tasks in the operating room; assistance for artificial feeding purposes. They will be a qualified healthcare worker (so they say) responsible for preventive, curative, palliative, rehabilitative and educational activities, as defined within the nursing care pathway. Their skills fall within activities aimed at disease prevention, care of the sick and disabled, and health education. Italian politics, often prone to waste and confusion, seems to ignore international evidence: nurses cannot be replaced by other figures, not even by doctors. Such replacement would increase the risk of hospital infections and antibiotic resistance and avoidable hospital deaths. Italy, unfortunately, is at the top of both these rankings. The lack of a strong union for healthcare professionals, especially nurses, midwives and OSS, is a problem. Only with a strong union, as already happens with doctors and psychologists, with 51% of the votes, we can obtain the respect and recognition we deserve. Enough with miserable salaries, exhausting shifts and staff shortages! It's time to say enough to the unsustainable working conditions that drive many colleagues to leave the profession or seek their fortune abroad. The solution is in our hands! If we all join Nursing Up and reach 51%, we can change healthcare in a very short time. Contact now lapaginadinursingup@yahoo.com and ask for info to collaborate or to register or to apply for the next RSU, this is an important step to make your voice heard and promote respect and adequate pay. With 51% of the votes we could change Italian healthcare for the better and in a very short time. United we win, the alternative is the abyss. Vincenzo Parisi
