The Irish Nurses' Organisation has deferred its threat of industrial action over overcrowding in Accident and Emergency departments.
The move follows talks at the Labour Relations Commission.
At the talks, unions and hospital managers agreed to carry out a review of policies and procedures in A & E departments over the past three weeks.
They are to report back to the LRC in a month's time.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the country's largest health board has said his board faces huge challenges in trying to stay within its allocated budget for 2003.
Mr Sean Hurley told a special meeting of the Southern Health Board that cost reductions would have to be made.
He identified the non-filling of posts currently vacant and the scrapping of several service developments as being among these cost reductions.