Nurses begin industrial action at University Hospital Limerick
THE UNION representing nurses working in the Intensive Care Unit at University Hospital Limerick says its members will begin industrial action from this Friday.
The action, which was endorsed earlier this year, will take the form of work-to-rule.
Commenting following the commencement of the action, INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations, Mary Fogarty said the action is unprecedented.
“Staffing in the ICU is currently operating at a 22% deficit, which represents nearly a quarter of the required nurses who are not available on the roster, yet 100% of the ICU beds remain open to admissions. Regularly, shifts in the ICU are significantly depleted and this is predicted to continue. Our members are very concerned about the potential deviation away from one nurse to one patient care in the ICU."
Ms Fogarty says the lack of consistent safe staffing in the intensive care unit is having a detrimental impact on the physical and mental wellbeing of our members working in this unit and their patients
“Since the ballot of members in UHL ICU concluded, the INMO has engaged extensively with hospital management both at local level and through the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.
“In order to make staffing safe in UHL ICU and ensure that patients are getting the one-to-one care that is expected in an intensive care unit, the INMO is calling on hospital management to temporarily close two beds in the ICU pending the recruitment of suitably qualified and experienced ICU nurses Unlike other hospitals experiencing similar nursing deficits, management in Limerick have been unwilling to do this thus far."
The INMO says its members at the ICU in UHL have been working at full tilt since the beginning of the pandemic with very little reprieve.
"It is unacceptable that they are constantly expected to deliver nursing care in an unsafe care. The decision to begin a work-to-rule is not one that our members have come to lightly but feel like all other avenues to resolve the issues that exist in UHL ICU have been closed off by hospital management," said Ms Fogarty.
In a statement, responding to the IMNO action, a spokesperson for UL Hospitals said safe care for ICU patients is its highest priority and continues to be delivered at UHL.
"We are working with our colleagues in the INMO to ensure that this remains the case. We wish to reassure members of the public that any patient admitted to the Intensive Care Unit or High Dependency Unit will be cared for in a compassionate and safe manner and where patient needs will remain at the centre of care delivery.
Despite the work-to-rule, UHL says it continues to operate 12 ICU beds and 16 HDU beds in the Critical Care Block.
The spokesperson added: "Intensive care nurses are in high demand globally. In spite of vacant shifts in the ICU nursing roster in recent months, agreed standards of care in the ICU, which requires one-to-one care, have at all times been maintained. We are working closely with the INMO to ensure that this remains the case for the duration of this dispute.
"Specific engagement with the INMO around ICU staffing levels commenced in February and we have been meeting with the trade union on a fortnightly basis since March 27 in an attempt to resolve this dispute. There has also been engagement and consultation through the Nurse Union Management Forum meeting, which comes under the auspices of the Advisory Services of the Workplace Relations Commission.
While this industrial action is a matter of regret, we remain available to engage with the INMO to come to a mutually agreed solution at the earliest possible point."