A quarter of Irish nurses are 'likely or very likely' to leave their job in the next year, according to an Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation survey.
Some 68% of nurses overall considered leaving their job due to Covid-19, with 25% overall "likely or very likely to leave the profession within the next 12 months".
The worrying figures emerged as 451 patients wait for beds in hospitals around the country.
The INMO survey shows nurses are suffering concerning levels of burnout and mental exhaustion.
The ‘Psychological Impact of Covid-19 on Nurses and Midwives in Ireland survey’ of 1,905 nurses revealed that 90% of nurses were left feeling mentally exhausted.
The research, conducted between April and July this year, found that 97% of nurses and midwives believe Covid-19 has had a negative psychological impact on the profession.
The survey found that 62% of nurses had cared for patients who died of Covid-19.
Some 67% are stressed about spreading virus to their household and just over one fifth (22%) had contracted coronavirus, of which more than 56% had long term effects.
A worrying 91% said they felt mentally exhausted when off duty, while ‘most respondents’ experienced trouble sleeping and high levels of stress and worry.
“We can’t ignore the fact that two-thirds of nurses and midwives tell us they considered leaving the profession due to the impact of Covid-19,” INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha said.
Meanwhile, hospitals in Galway, Limerick and Cork are experiencing the highest numbers of patients admitted to hospital waiting on beds, INMO Trolley Watch figures reveal.
347 patients were waiting in the emergency department, while 104 were in wards elsewhere in the hospital.
Some 42 patients are waiting for a bed in University Hospital Galway, while 40 patients were waiting in University Hospitals in Limerick and Cork.
This is more than double the next highest figure, Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore, where 20 patients are awaiting a bed.
