The INMO says more than 80% of the staff it represents at the region’s main hospital are worn out at the end of their workday.
It comes as unions representing healthcare workers will address TDs and senators this morning on the ongoing overcrowding crisis in hospitals.
Representatives, from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Forsa, SIPTU and the Irish Medical Organisation will appear before the Joint Committee on Health today.
Nurses union, the INMO says it called the meeting to highlight that more than 21-thousand patients have been on trolleys in hospitals so far this year, a 170-percent increase on the same period last year.
It’s calling for bed occupancy rate to be reduced to 85 percent, in line with best practice.
The union says the endemic of consistent overcrowding is significantly impacting the mental and physical health of staff.
A survey of members at 8 hospitals found that 80.64% of members at University Hospital Limerick were always or often felt worn out by the end of the day.
While 61.29% of those at the Dooradoyle facility said they always – or often – felt exhausted at the thought of another day at work.
The union says service plans that promise 6 hour wait times are unacceptable and insists a government-led and overseen implementation of the agreed reform plan is needed.
