PREGNANT nurses who are increasingly taking extended sick leave prior to commencing maternity leave are doing so at a huge cost to the health service, according to a Health Service Executive (HSE) human resources chief.

THERE have been criticisms against nurses and the Irish Nurses’ Organisation (INO) for allegedly compromising patient care.

A NURSE who blew the whistle on a colleague she believed was stealing morphine from seriously ill patients claims the wrongdoer was protected by “higher-ups” and is still practising.

OVERCROWDING, staff shortages and bed closures will continue unless radical steps are taken to keep nurses in Ireland, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) warned yesterday.