In the ongoing dispute about the formal introduction of healthcare assistants in hospitals by the Health Service Executive (HSE), the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) has been mandated by members to take whatever action is necessary to secure pay increases due to come in on June 1st.
The executive council of the INO received unanimous support for an emergency motion put before the organisation's annual delegate conference yesterday.
"To secure all pay increases in the same timeframe and from the same date as all other staff in the Irish health service."
The move follows a signal by health-service employers that they will withhold salary increases due to nurses and midwives because of what they claim is a lengthy delay agreeing the role and responsibilities of healthcare assistants. This, however, is disputed by the INO.
Initially introduced into the health service in the 1990s as attendants and care assistants, this grade of staff has until now performed patient care, cleaning and catering tasks.
It is now proposed that the new category of healthcare assistant undertake patient care duty in conjunction with ward nurses in hospitals.
Speaking at a seminar on the role of the healthcare assistant, Annette Kennedy, director of professional development at the INO, said the dispute had arisen over efforts to impose a new teaching module for healthcare assistants.
"The tasks to be carried out by healthcare assistants are not an issue, but patient safety must not be compromised."
Using the example of taking a child's temperature, Ms Kennedy said there was a significant difference between taking the temperature of a child with the common cold compared with a similar assessment of a child who had undergone major surgery.
"A mother will rightly insist on somebody with skills in childcare to look after their child after they emerge from the operating theatre.
"What we are seeking is that the right task be undertaken, by the right person, at the right time."
Bridget Quille, of the Smurfit School of Business, University College Dublin, presented research undertaken on behalf of the INO on attitudes to the role of healthcare assistants.
She said while around a quarter of healthcare assistants had completed formal training, the majority of respondents said that their job description was "vague" and not clearly defined.
During an open debate the majority of delegates expressed concern about nurses taking on more supervision of healthcare assistants without full negotiation between the INO and the HSE.