For four hours nursing staff from Blayney Health Service joined with thousands of nurses and midwives from more than 150 public hospitals and health services who are striking over the NSW government's failure to introduce nurse-to-patient ratios on every shift.

While many staff were on strike, life-preserving services were maintained in all public hospitals and health services.

The president of the Blayney branch of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association Christine Bright said that it was encouraging to see the support of the community.

"We've had concerns for quite some time in regards to there being no nursing to patient ratios in our smaller regional hospitals and health services, and it's great to see how much the community is getting behind us."

Ms Bright was quick to point out that NSW was one of the odd states out when it comes to the ratio issue.

"Queensland, Victoria, Northern Territory and Western Australia all have nursing to patient ratios, so New South Wales is certainly lagging behind."

Not only are they campaigning for better conditions for themselves and their patients, they're also after a bigger pay rate above 2.5 per cent, for recognition of nurses and midwives' workloads during the pandemic and to compensate for their wage freeze in 2020.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Secretary of the Blayney branch of the NSWNMA Kath Hillier said that the campaign isn't anything new.

"The association has been fighting for nurse to patient ratios for about 10 years," she said.

"The government also needs to recognise us in terms of a pay rise above the 2.5 per cent as it's been a very stressful time for all nursing staff over the past few years."

Another contentious issue for Ms Hillier is that of worker's compensation and COVID.

"They need to withdraw the workers compensation saying that we need to prove that we contracted COVID at work. That's really difficult to do," she said.

HAVE YOUR SAY:

Send us your thoughts with a letter to the editor: