The CEO of the Health Service Executive has said she recognises that many nurses are working in environments where they feel compromised by trolley waits and trying to admit patients without beds.
Anne O'Connor told the annual conference of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation in Dundalk, that the HSE does not look at hospital overcrowding "with indifference."
She said emergency attendances rose by over 4% last year and this has increased pressure on staff.
Ms O'Connor said that despite the increased attendances, trolley numbers reduced last year.
She said the HSE is working on measures to avoid hospital admission altogether, such as virtual wards, where patients with cardiology or respiratory conditions receive acute-level care in the safety of their own homes, using health monitoring technology and video or phone links to hospital experts.
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She told the conference that people over 65 years account for 60% of inpatient beds.
The latest figures from the National Treatment Purchase Fund show public hospital waiting lists remain high, with over 964,000 patients waiting for some form of care in April.
Of these, over 660,000 patients are waiting to be seen for the first time at an outpatient clinic.
On the HSE spending overrun of €250m to March, Ms O'Connor said that all spending decisions will protect patient care and safety.
She told delegates that all parts of the HSE are being asked to prioritise recruitment to funded posts, to reduce reliance on higher-cost agency staff.
