Siptu says additional capacity and targeted initiatives to speed up patient discharge are needed to deal with overcrowding in hospital accident and emergency (A&E) units.
The union's national nursing official Miriam McCluskey says the resurgence of overcrowding during the later part of 2005 and 2006 indicates the requirement for long-term care beds and underlines the need for sustained focus on tackling delayed discharges and increasing capacity.
Speaking at the union's National Nursing Convention in Sligo today, she told delegates that "it was critical that all hospitals take appropriate steps to ensure that patient privacy, dignity and comfort is observed".
Ms McClusky said the union will shortly begin a consultation process involving all its members ahead of the next benchmarking process.
She said that a number of focus groups would be set up nationally to give members an opportunity to inform those groups of the key issues affecting nurses.
"Those elements which are essential to delivering a comprehensive submission to the benchmarking Body will be gathered and refined during this process," said Ms McCluskey.
She also indicated the union's intended to engage a professional facilitator to assist SIPTU Nursing in drafting its submission to the benchmarking body.
On the implementation of the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) for non-consultative hospital doctors, Ms McClusky said this would have a profound effect on the work carried out by nurses in the Irish health service.
"It provides nurses and their representatives with a unique opportunity to develop and enhance their scope of practice," she said.
"However, by focusing on the science of nursing, we must be careful not to lose sight of the art of nursing. This means that the EWTD project can be of benefit to those nurses who wish to expand their role within the health services but at the same time we must ensure that the important role of the staff nurse is not undermined in any way," she added.
