The number of nursing vacancies in hospitals and healthcare institutions across the State has fallen by 29 per cent in the year to the end of September, new figures revealed yesterday.
The figures, collected over the last two months by the Health Service Employers Agency (HSEA), show there were 722 nursing posts vacant at the end of the third quarter. While this is a significant number, the figure at the end of the third quarter last year was 1,017.
Much of the shortage is made up for by agency nurses and by staff nurses working overtime. The latest National Survey on Nursing Resources from the HSEA states that a total of 3,506 hours overtime was worked by nurses each day during the month of September. This would equate with the employment of 629 full-time nurses, the report said. In addition, 317 agency nurses were employed every day during the month of September.
Most of the vacancies are in the eastern region. The largest number was at Beaumont Hospital (80 vacancies), followed by St James's Hospital (62.5) and Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin (45.5).
The report also points out that, while 4,084 nurses were recruited in the year to the end of September, almost 3,000 resigned, retired or moved to another employer. Over 800 were recruited abroad during the year.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said the current nurse shortage was severely impacting on service delivery. It also claimed it was resulting in bed closures. It said 19 beds remained closed at Beaumont Hospital due to nursing shortages, and a further 34 were closed at James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown for the same reason.
The situation could worsen in 2005, as no nurses are due to qualify that year.