Daily figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation show there are 44 people on trolleys and chairs at the emergency department in University Hospital Limerick.
In a statement the HSE says it’s taking all steps to deal with the situation but only a small number of patients are expected to be finished their treatment today and discharged. It’s also urging the public to only attend the A&E with an emergency and that all other cases should be referred to a local GP or out of hours service.
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Meanwhile,
The issue of patient safety as a result of overloaded staff is one of the focal points of the annual conference of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
The conference will see more than 350 nurses and midwives gather in Kilkenny under the banner of safe staffing, safe care, safe patients.
Reports this morning suggest that at one stage, Portlaoise Maternity unit had only 1 midwife for 70 births – compared to the internationally recommended ratio of one to 29.5.
The Midwestern Regional Hospital in Portlaoise is under investigation after the deaths of five babies there in seven years.
General Secretary of the INMO Liam Doran says the number of nurses and midwives on the frontline is too low.
