NURSES at Belmont Hospital and the Mental Health Centre at Waratah have voted to walk out "en masse" for 24 hours to protest what they say is unsafe staffing levels and a breach of their wage agreement with the NSW government.
Nurses at John Hunter Hospital have voted to close five ambulance bay beds for four hours - or until 7pm Wednesday.
A member of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association's Belmont Hospital branch told the Newcastle Herald they were fighting for patient safety.
"We are fighting for safer nurse-to-patient ratios," she said.
"We want one-to four on the wards, and one to three in the ED.
"And a review of the breach of our wage agreement for the past two years."
They walked out just before 4pm.
There was about 200 nurses out on the road at Belmont Hospital.
They will return at 3.30pm tomorrow.
"It is en masse, the entire nursing staff of the hospital have walked out," she said.
But skeleton staff would remain for critical care cases.
"You know what nurses are like, they won't jeopardise the safety of their patients," the member said,
"This is about patient safety and care. This is about us being able to manage our workload and provide the care we should be.
"We have asked Premier Gladys Berejiklian to negotiate now for months, and there has been nothing.
"We have asked, and asked, and asked now for years. Our award agreements and our ward requests have been denied.
"All we are asking for is one nurse for four patients on the ward, and one to three in ED.
"It really is a basic safety measure we are asking for."
Nurses at Bowral Hospital, the Blue Mountains and Shoalhaven also walked out in protest.
The Newcastle Herald understands Hunter New England Health have filed against the NSW Midwives and Nurses Association with the Industrial Relations Commission.
