Exclusive: Nurses at Adelaide’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital are facing $65 parking fines as a result of limited on-site parking options, creating both financial and safety concerns.

Student nurse Anna*, speaking to 9news.com.au, expressed how these fines are compounding the financial strain on already underpaid healthcare professionals.

“It’s absurd. Nurses play a crucial role yet are burdened with these fines, which just keep piling up,” she remarked.

She further noted, “Doctors typically have reserved parking spots, which means this issue predominantly impacts nurses.”

The hospital does provide a designated staff parking area, but it falls short of accommodating the entire workforce.

Some park in the hospital’s public car parks, which can cost up to $20 per day.

But many are reluctant to park there, as it means taking spaces that could go to the visiting families of sick women and children.

The other option is to park on the street nearby, but most streets only offer two to three hour parking and nurses can’t just duck out to move their cars.

“You’re not even guaranteed a break, and you’re not guaranteed at the same time every day,” Anna explained.

”So what I found is that a lot of nurses are just copping $65 fines every week.”

There are also safety concerns for nurses walking to and from their cars late at night and early in the morning.

“It’s a safety issue for sure, especially when you finish at like 10,” Anna confessed.

“Nurse burnout is real, and you’re working really long hours, and sometimes your situational awareness before and after a shift is not that great.”

A spokesperson from Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) told 9news “parking availability remains a high priority”.

“We continue to consider options for improved parking solutions for staff and consumers visiting and working within the WCH,” they said.

“Through negotiations with the City of Adelaide, WCH has secured 128 on-street parking spaces on MacKinnon Parade for exclusive WCHN Staff use (during permit hours) at a reduced rate to staff of $8 per day.

“Reduced car parking fees are also available for staff with key card access in the Medical Centre Car Park on Kermode Street.”

WCHN also negotiated with City of Adelaide Council to exempt staff from the two-hour restrictions on event parking around the hospital.

“Staff are encouraged to visit the WCHN Transport Office to obtain an exemption,” the spokesperson said.

But Anna said not all hospital staff have been able to access discounts and exemptions.

She claimed the waitlist for discounted parking is long and even at a rate of $8 per day ($40 for a five day work week), the costs add up quickly.

“Most of the nurses on the ward that I’m on don’t have access to it, they’re still on a waiting list,” she alleged.

In the month she’s been on placement at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Anna has been parking a 20 minute walk from the hospital in a bid to avoid fines.

It’s a long trek to and from each shift but she just can’t afford to pay $100 per week for parking in the hospital’s public car park, let alone $325 in fines (based on a five day work week, though many nurses work up to seven days).

Public transport isn’t an option either, as there are no O’Bahn buses available that can get her to the hospital in time for her shifts to start at 6am.

“I’m only there for a month, so I can’t imagine how full time nurses feel,” Anna said.

“And it’s a problem everywhere, at every hospital, you’re maxed out with the parking situation, so you’re forced to either public transport it or park on the street.”

The WCHN spokesperson confirmed work is well underway on the development of the hospital’s new carpark.

It will have 1300 spaces, nearly double the current number of on-site hospital parking spaces.

But Anna fears that alone won’t solve the issue.

”There’s too many staff members [and] honestly I just think that this problem is going to transfer to that car park,” she said.

It calls for Adelaide City Council to introduce a free street parking permit for rostered nurses and healthcare staff at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Anna said there has been a flood of positive responses from everyday Aussies who agree our healthcare workers deserve better.

“They’re tired, they just want to get home to their kids, and I think it’s really sad that either they’ve got to walk or they’re forking out [for parking] when nurses are already underpaid.”

*Name changed for privacy reasons.