Nurses are expected to call for extreme weather compensation at the Irish Nurses and Midwives’ Organisation Conference, which begins today.

Deputy general secretary of the INMO Edward Matthews told Newstalk Breakfast that the current policy should be expanded.

“As we know from climate experts, we experience – or we are to experience – increasing levels of red weather events,” he said.

“We have a policy in place and it’s very modest, it deals with when people have to come in extremely early to work, when they have to stay overnight unexpectedly at work, when they have to be taken to work by the army, the civil defence of members of our farming community when others rightly are staying a home.

“It provides for very modest compensation and what we want is that to be applied in a reasonable, supportive manner and in a way that recognises effort across the services."

A busy hospital ward with nurses and a trolley, 21-4-16. Image: Mark Thomas / Alamy

Issues facing nurses

According to Mr Matthews, if a person stays in work overnight, they are currently compensated “just north of €70”.

However, he said issues often arise when it comes to whether employees will be provided accommodation.

“We’re not seeking a new policy, we’re seeking that they review the policy that already exists,” he said.

“We’re talking here about the provision of an essential health service; life and death services by safety critical professionals who have a job to do.

“They do their job very well – but they are workers at the same time, and they’re not required to work 24 hours a day.

“All they’re seeking is a review of a very modest policy that exists to ensure that it is universally applied and if they’re required to stay overnight, that somebody provides them with reasonable accommodation and isn’t arguing with them about whether they need it or not.”

Mr Matthews said the conference will also focus on safety when it comes to assaults and staffing levels.

Main image: Sad nurse sitting on the chair