Strikes by nursing personnel: a challenge for nurse managers in KwaZulu-Natal Province

A descriptive survey was conducted to investigate strikes by nursing personnel as a challenge for nurse managers in KwaZulu-Natal Province. Data was collected from nurse managers and various categories of nursing personnel excluding student and pupil nurses. Results confirmed that patient care is adversely affected by nurses' strikes. There is division in opinions on the nurses' strikes. It is recommended that minimising or prevention of nurses' strikes should be a joint responsibility of all stakeholders in health care, that is employing authorities, management, nursing personnel and consumers of health care. Long term planning for continued, safe patient care during strikes should be given priority attention.