Hospital waiting lists are set to grow significantly as elective surgeries in major hospitals across the State continue to be cancelled as a result of the nurses dispute.
Talks resumed this evening between nursing unions and health service employers at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) but there was little sign of a breakthrough.
Earlier, health service employers urged nurses to call off their work to rule in Accident and Emergency units.
Head of Industrial Relations at the Health Service Employers' Agency Mr Brendan Mulligan said calling off the work-to-rule would reduce the anxiety of people who are waiting elective treatment but can’t be admitted to hospital.
"We are engaged in a consultative process," said Mr Mulligan, adding that the talks were at a "delicate stage."
The talks at the LRC are expected to continue until late this evening.
A spokesperson for the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) reported no major progress at the talks, which have failed to resolve issues of admission and discharge policies and security.
The nurses' action, which began after a two-hour strike on Wednesday, means A&E nurses are refusing to do certain duties except in life-threatening cases.
Nurses in the INO and SIPTU want more security in A&E departments, a demand that has come from outside Dublin in particular.
They also want a system in which a bed manager could cancel planned admissions to make room for emergency cases. This would be done in line with a protocol that would be worked out between nurses, doctors and management. INO and SIPTU nurses also want greater utilisation of nursing home beds for patients who no longer need acute care.
A forum on A&E services, separate from the LRC talks, will meet tomorrow.