A most unusual nurse-patient ratio was being maintained yesterday at one Kilkenny hospital. After a steady decline in numbers in recent days, Kilcreene hospital had just one patient left and one nurse on duty.
The hospital, which normally cares for about 60 patients, handles elective orthopaedic cases only and does not deal with emergencies. As a result no patients have been admitted since the strike began.
While the last remaining patient was benefiting from a unique level of nursing care, elsewhere in the south-east attitudes among nurses appear to be hardening. An Irish Nurses' Organisation regional spokeswoman said the current level of care would have to be "seriously reviewed" if today's Labour Court recommendation proved unacceptable.
Ms Annette Gee, who is also secretary of the strike committee at Waterford Regional Hospital, said nurses were hopeful that the Labour Court would "rule appropriately". But she added: "We can suspend while we ballot but the feeling would be that we will not accept a paltry offer."
A lot of nurses felt that too much cover had been provided to date, she said.
At Waterford Regional, for example, the neo-natal, intensive care, renal dialysis, labour and orthopaedic units were all fully staffed and operating as normal. Uniquely in a strike situation, nurses were working as normal in those units, without pay, and travelling up to 50 miles to do so, making a review inevitable in the event of an unfavourable outcome from the Labour Court.
The South Eastern Health Board says adequate levels of cover are being maintained throughout the region. Waterford Regional Hospital has 230 patients, compared with 400 normally, with about a quarter of the normal level of nursing care.
Similar cover is being provided elsewhere. St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny had 26 nurses on duty yesterday, caring for 120 patients, 80 fewer than normal. St Joseph's Hospital in Clonmel had 17 nurses caring for 116 patients, compared with its normal 200, while Our Lady's Hospital in Cashel had six nurses on duty and 23 patients. It normally has up to 80 patients.
