The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in protest at overcrowding and excessive workloads in accident and emergency departments.
Ninety three per cent voted in favour of the action, which is due to begin on Wednesday, March 13th.
The action will begin with a two-hour work stoppage between midday and 2 p.m. After which a work-to-rule involving the withdrawal of nurses from clerical and administrative duties will commence.
A three-hour work stoppage is planned for Wednesday, March 20th if the issues have not be satisfactorily addressed, the organisation said in a statement.
INO General Secretary Mr Liam Doran said: "This result demonstrates the absolute commitment of our nurse members in A&E Departments to improve the quality of patient care and to reduce their intolerable workloads.
"Senior management must now approach the forthcoming local and national discussions, to take place over the next 10 days, with an absolute commitment to demonstrate, by their actions, that they understand the severity of the current problem.
"Furthermore they must be prepared to initiate agreed strategies which will dramatically improve the management of A&E services in all hospitals.
Finally, the INO’s 10 point plan, already submitted to the Minister, must be acknowledged and adopted by senior managers as providing the basis for the necessary improvements to avoid industrial action".
