The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) nursing and midwifery well-being survey published at the union's annual delegate conference this afternoon has found that over 65% of nurses felt that patient safety was put at risk very often, or always.
The country's largest union of nurses and midwives opened its three-day conference today, against a backdrop of continued hospital overcrowding and concerns over safe staffing levels.
The INMO represents over 40,000 nurses and midwives and over 350 of its delegates are attending the gathering in Killarney, Co Kerry.
More than 50 motions are to be debated and high on the agenda is hospital overcrowding and the recruitment and retention of nurses and midwives.
An overwhelming majority said that current staffing levels do not meet the required clinical and patient demand in their area.
Many nurses report being under pressure to work extra hours or shifts.
Over 73% of nurses or midwives said they had considered leaving their work area over the last month.
The Health Service Executive said that over 2,040 nurses and midwives were recruited last year and an extra 867 so far this year.
It said the Irish health service is operating in a fiercely competitive global market.
The HSE said it is working to retain its workforce, attract high-performing and diverse staff and build the healthcare talent of the future.
It said it is supporting the health of the workforce and building a positive and inclusive workplace culture.
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INMO figures show there are 712 patients in hospitals waiting for admission to a bed today, an increase on the overcrowding figure of 704 patients reported yesterday.
The HSE said that it is moving away from traditional winter planning and will instead take an all-year round approach to managing emergency department pressures and capacity issues.
Chief Executive Bernard Gloster will address delegates tomorrow.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will speak at the conference on Friday.
'A huge intention to leave' - INMO
INMO President Karen McGowan said there has been crisis after crisis in healthcare since 2019 and unsafe staffing has become the norm.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ms McGowan said nurses and midwives have been unable to regain a stable footing since the pandemic.
Three out of four nurses and midwives surveyed by the INMO have considered quitting their current workplace, she said.
This means the fate on the entire health services is dependent on these people sticking it out for another month or year, or whatever they feel they can do, she said.
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The INMO president said the level of stress and burnout is very apparent among members.
People feel under constant pressure to work extra hours, she said, and even when members are off, they still feel stressed.
"People feel constantly under pressure from the workplace to work additional hours so even when they are off, they still feel stressed. And this really is negatively impacting on their health. And there was a huge intention to leave."
Ms McGowan called for a safe staffing framework to be implemented and underpinned by legislation.
Varadkar defends health service recruitment
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has told the Dáil the health service is on its knees saying there are not enough beds in the system and not enough people to staff them.
"How much worse does it have to get before Government gets its act together?" Ms McDonald asked the Taoiseach.
Responding, Leo Varadkar said there is a chronic problem with emergency department overcrowding and people have to wait too long for medical procedures.
However, he stated that Ireland now has the highest life expectancy in the European Union and that is in part down to the health service.
"Since this Government came to office, about 1,000 hospital beds have been added to the system."
Some 6,000 medical staff, including nurses and doctors, have also been recruited since 2020, the Taoiseach said.
Additional reporting Mícheál Lehane
