Irish nurses 'stretched to breaking point' as staffing issues taking toll on mental health

Exhaustion and burnout alongside compromised patient care were reported by members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation in its 2025 member survey.

72% of the survey’s respondents stated their current staffing levels and skill mix did not meet the required clinical and patient demands in their work area, and almost 40% reporting that their work negatively impacted their psychological wellbeing "a great deal" or "a lot".

The INMO released its annual staff survey this morning at the launch of its 106th annual conference in Wexford, where members will debate motions relating to staffing and patient safety, as well as measures to safeguard and grow the workforce to care for a growing and ageing population.

Staffing was a major concern for members in terms of both staff and patient safety, as among those citing inadequate staffing, over 90% expressed concern about compromised patient safety, and almost half (48.76%) of respondents reported they felt pressured to work additional hours or shifts in order to make up the staffing shortfall.

The effect of this pressure on staff retention was clear as the INMO also queried members on their intention to leave their role, with 61.51% of respondents stating they had considered leaving their work area in the past month, and workplace stress cited as the primary reason.

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INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said:

“Our members have been very clear in this survey that staffing levels are having a detrimental effect on patient care and a severe impact on nurses’ and midwives’ ability to protect their own health and safety.

“This level of stress, exhaustion and physical strain over many years has a very serious effect on our members and should not be tolerated.

“To have one in five workers attending their GP for work related stress would be a scandal in many workplaces and industries, but this is the level of sacrifice that is expected from our members and it is simply not sustainable.

“It is absolutely critical that improvements come into effect in the coming months regarding both staffing and workforce planning, and this needs to include legislation that underpins clinically safe staffing levels. This needs to happen not simply to protect these healthcare workers and their patients but to protect the future of the health service.”

INMO President Caroline Gourley said:

“The message from our members couldn’t be clearer: they are stretched to breaking point trying to keep patients safe in an unsafe working environment and their own health and wellbeing are suffering as a result.

“It is not realistic or fair to expect people to keep going in to work in these conditions, putting their physical and mental health at risk for their work.

“The dedication and commitment of nurses and midwives should not be the glue holding the health service together. Our members’ goodwill is not a substitute for effective workforce planning.”