Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) will stage a lunchtime protest at 1.15pm at St Patrick’s Community Hospital, Carrick-on-Shannon tomorrow.
Members have voted by 97% in favour of industrial action to protest against a reduction in staffing levels.
The INMO has blamed a number of factors for the decision to protest, including what it says is the HSE's failure to recruit additional nursing staff or to recognise the risks to patients as identified by nurses.
Speaking today, Maura Hickey, INMO industrial relations officer, said: "The situation that currently exists within St. Patrick’s Hospital is unsafe and untenable.
"Our members are challenged, on a daily basis, to deliver safe and effective care to the patients in their charge.
"They are the frontline staff who go to work every day and, to the best of their ability, try to deliver good quality care and service to their clients.
"They come in on their days off, work late and work through their breaks, while striving to deliver maximum nursing care to those for whom they are responsible.
"The HSE is failing in its duty of care to both the patients and staff in the hospital, as it fails to acknowledge that there is a nurse staffing crisis.
"There are barely enough staff to ensure safe medication practices, feed and activate residents.
"The INMO is now calling for an immediate recruitment initiative specific to St. Patrick’s Community Hospital to address this crisis.”
The INMO has encouraged members of the public to join nurses on the lunchtime protest.
The INMO said that it remains available to meet with management on this matter.
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