The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is calling for the HSE to declare the current overcrowding situation in hospitals an emergency and impose all necessary assistances and restrictions in order to allow hospitals to cope.
The INMO is recommending that restrictions on elective care would be in put place until Easter, at least.
This comes as 570 patients are without a bed in Irish hospitals today.
There are 19 patients waiting on trolleys in Tipperary University hospital in Clonmel, 6 in Waterford and University Hospital Limerick has a total of 79 patients experiencing delayed admission – 45 patients are on trolleys and a further 34 have been accommodated in some part of the hospital.
The union is calling on the government to revisit their decision on mask-wearing in indoor and crowded settings. The union also wants the HSE to examine the issue of air measurement and filtration systems in hospitals.
