Up to 3,500 student nurses took part in demonstrations across the country this lunchtime against government pay cuts, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said.
The hour-long lunchtime protests began at 13 hospitals across the country at 12.30pm. The INMO stressed patient care were not affected during the demonstration.
The protests are the first stage in a campaign against Government plans to phase out and ultimately eliminate payments to student nurses during their mandatory 36-week work placement in hospitals.
INMO general secretary Liam Doran told the demonstration St James's Hospital that no other grade in the public service was being asked to work for nothing.
He urged student nurses and their families and friends to make the planned payment cuts an issue in the general election.
He urged nurse not to vote for parties who would not provide a pledge to reverse the planned measures.
Mr Doran called on student nurses from around the county to take part in a march and rally in Dublin next Wednesday. He said a campaign of industrial action could get under way next month if the cuts were not reversed.
Some 6,000 trainee nurses and midwives will be balloted to withdraw their labour from early March by the nursing union, Psychiatric Nurses Association and Siptu.
Meanwhile, union leaders, the Department of Health and Health Service Executive are attend a hearing at the Labour Relations Commission today.