INDUSTRIAL action by intensive care nurses at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has been suspended following an agreement between the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation and hospital management.
INMO Assistant Director of Relations Mary Fogarty said that the work-to-rule has been suspended to allow a ballot to take place on an agreement reached through the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.
“The agreement reached is a temporary one to address the staffing shortfalls that is impacting both patient and staff safety in the ICU,” Ms Fogarty explained
“The agreement include a commitment to ensure that at least sixteen nurses will be rostered for both day and night duty for the twelve bed ward. Nurses who work in the ICU will be facilitated to take their annual leave and assurances have been made that additional ICU nurses will be on site in June and July to bolster the current staffing complement.
“Safe staffing in the ICU is of utmost importance to our members who have been under intolerable pressure while trying to provide excellent care to very sick patients,” she added.
