Nurses working in one of the country's busiest Emergency Departments (EDs) have suspended industrial action following a request from the Workplace Relations Commission.

Earlier this month, the nurses, all members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), began a work to rule at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. They had voted in favour of this action as a result of major overcrowding in the ED.

The INMO had claimed that more than 100 patients were ‘regularly being accommodated in the ED, which has the capacity to accommodate only 18 patients on trolleys'.

The work to rule meant nurses were refusing to carry out any clerical work or non-nursing duties, including the use of IT. They refused to answer all phones except the two emergency ambulance phones in the ED. This was to ensure that patients received an immediate response in the event of an emergency.

However following a request by the Workplace Relations Commission (formerly the LRC) to engage in ‘intensive conciliation' with hospital management, the nurses agreed to suspend their industrial action from 8am this morning (October 29) for the duration of the talks.

"The INMO will approach these talks with the aim of reaching an agreed outcome, as the working environments and the conditions under which nurses are attempting to provide a level of safe care cannot continue," commented INMO industrial relations officer, Philip McAnenly.