The problems of violence in the workplace as well as overcrowding in hospital accident and emergency units are among some of the main issues to be discussed at a Siptu national nursing convention which opens this evening in Sligo.
Miriam McCluskey, the union's national nursing official, said last night "hard questions" need to be asked in terms of how we move forward on A&E, which she said was a critical issue.
"Siptu has long held the view that short-term strategies need to be implemented together with developing a long-term plan.
"It is essential ... there be an implementation of tactical proposals that will make a real difference on the ground," she said.
She added that the issue of violence in the workplace was unfortunately something which was more prevalent than it used to be. It permeated all healthcare sectors and was not only confined to psychiatry. Ms McCluskey said the convention would hear a presentation from the Health Service Executive on this issue.
A joint working group between the unions and the Health Service Executive had recently been established to tackle the problem, she confirmed.
"Siptu nursing will look to best practice internationally to assist in formulating an effective and transparent policy on this issue."
It was reported at the weekend that 903 attacks on staff, patients and visitors to nine hospitals were recorded last year. The figures, released under the Freedom of Information Act, showed that the attacks, some physical and some verbal, were occurring in all areas of hospitals, not just in A&E. Attacks were also recorded in maternity wards and paediatric units.
The theme for this year's Siptu nursing convention is "Change: Challenges and Opportunities" and among the speakers will be Prof Brendan Drumm, HSE chief executive; John Hume, Nobel Peace Laureate and former leader of the SDLP; and Patricia Byron, chief executive of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board.
Other issues on the agenda for the convention are benchmarking and work-life balance.
Ms McCluskey said nurses had an expectation that benchmarking would not "leave them out in the cold but will reflect fairly and adequately the important role nurses play".