Nurse shortage creating ‘very serious’ problems at hospital

A SHORTAGE of nurses has created a “very serious” situation at Kerry General Hospital (KGH) in Tralee, a union representative warned yesterday.

The Irish Nurses Organisation’s (INO) industrial relations officer, Michael Dineen, said that if a similar situation existed in a Dublin hospital, nurses would probably have taken industrial action by now.

“But, because of their commitment to their patients and loyalty to the hospital, nurses in Tralee are coming in on days off, at weekends and during leave to provide cover,” he said.