The work carried out by a nurse in the orthopaedic trauma ward at Beaumont Hospital Dublin.
With less than 24 hours to go before the commencement of a nurses' strike, industrial action by the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) is deferred for two weeks. A ballot will be taken on a Labour Court recommendation that includes a nursing commission and an £85 million pay package.
The proposed strike has raised public awareness of conditions in the nursing workplace. Nurse Sinéad Berry works in the orthopaedic trauma ward at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. She begins work at 7:45am after clocking off the night before at 9:30pm.
From the start of her day work for Sinéad Berry is hectic. She assesses patients, writes reports, plans for surgery, dresses wounds and talks to relatives. She cares for up to 15 patients, many with serious physical injuries, some of them emotionally traumatised.
She is fed up with nurses’ work being undervalued.
Patients at Beaumont Hospital orthopaedic unit have nothing but praise for the care they are given by the nurses. Michelle Murtagh has been in the hospital for the past nine months and the nurses helped her through the trauma that came from being hit by a bus. One nurse in particular went above and beyond the call of duty to help.
They’ve been very good to me.
Another patient feels the nurses provide her with everything she needs,
They really are great now, there’s not a bother on them.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 9 February 1997. The reporter is Emma O’Kelly.
