A severe shortage of nurses is a major cause of patients on trolleys in the State’s hospitals, Sinn F

éin health spokesman Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin said.

“Nurses are choosing to go abroad because of poor working conditions and a lack of career prospects at home,’’ he said.

Mr Ó Caoláin said an NUI Galway survey of 2,000 students across six medical schools found almost nine out of 10 trainee nurses, and those who had come through the process, planned to leave when they qualified.

“That is a very worrying fact and we must face up to it,’’ he said. “Career opportunities, working conditions and lifestyle were the top three reasons given by those surveyed.’’

The Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation estimated more than 4,000 additional nurses were required to return the workforce to a realistic level, he said.

Shocking

Mr Ó Caoláin said it was shocking that 7,630 people were on trolleys across the hospital network last month, a 17 per cent increase on the same month last year. “As patients and frontline staff face into the winter period, it looks as if this crisis is certainly going to deepen,’’ he said.

“Frontline practitioners have said that patient safety is being compromised.’’

Mr Ó Caoláin said hospital staff were working under unacceptable pressure in a health system that was severely underresourced.

Tánaiste Joan Burton said she hoped those currently completing their nursing degrees and training would give full consideration to a career in Ireland.

Traditional

Ms Burton

said it had been traditional for many nurses and other health professionals to go abroad, either for a protracted or limited period of time, to develop their careers.

“That is understandable and that model has operated in Ireland for a long time,’’ she said.

She said the Health Service Executive had been sending recruiters and using social media and other methods of communication to attract nurses who left the country when there was a moratorium on recruiting public health staff, other than frontline staff.