Nurses in Naas General Hospital, who are members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), are to begin industrial action on 9 February in a dispute over staffing numbers.
The action will initially take the form of a work-to-rule but it could be escalated to strike action.
The INMO said that current staffing levels across multiple clinical areas are unsafe, unsustainable, and non-compliant with professional standards.
"The ongoing reliance on agency, overtime, and redeployment places both patient safety and staff wellbeing at significant risk," said INMO Industrial Relations Officer Karen McCann.
"Despite repeated efforts to highlight these clinical risk concerns, no substantive action has been taken to address the unsafe staffing levels currently impacting patient safety, staff wellbeing, and compliance with agreed safe staffing frameworks."
"Our members are very disappointed that it has come to this, but unfortunately, they feel the risks being posed to patients due to ongoing understaffing problems have become too significant and that their concerns are not being taken seriously," Ms McCann said.
The HSE said it was with regret that it had received notice of industrial action despite ongoing efforts to address and resolve the issues raised.
A spokesperson said there has been growth in the overall hospital workforce in Naas and approved nursing staff numbers have also grown.
The HSE said hospital management has approved recruitment for funded vacancies, safer staffing posts, maternity leave and agency conversion.
"The hospital and region are committed to engaging with the INMO," the HSE said.
"We are committed to a solution-based approach and are engaging continuously with staff and representatives," it added.
