Outpatient nurses at the James Connolly Memorial Hospital in Blanchardstown, Co Dublin, are to begin a work-to-rule on December 13th over staff shortages.
Similar action over low staffing levels already threatens accident and emergency services at Beaumont hospital in Dublin.
"Due to the shortages, nurses find themselves being asked to take on more and more non-nursing duties," SIPTU official Ms Ger Moriarty said yesterday. "This obviously creates increasing pressure on their capacity to discharge their primary responsibilities as healthcare professionals."
Management at the Blanchardstown hospital had so far "failed to respond to our growing concerns in any meaningful way" and "nurses will carry out nursing duties only" from December 13th.
The action is restricted to not answering phones or performing clerical duties. It is expected to lead to a backlog in record keeping and cumulative delays for patients if it becomes protracted.
Management said they hoped to meet union representatives at Blanchardstown early next week.