The nurses’ union has issued a series of directives to its members that will come into force in the coming days, following a breakdown of negotiations on the sectoral agreement.

In an e-mail to members circulated this week, Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses secretary general Colin Galea said while the date for the action would be announced soon, members should be aware of the directives “to be prepared”.

“We need to be effective. It is high time to stand up and be counted,” Mr Galea said in the e-mail, seen by this newspaper, adding that the directives applied to both nurses and midwives on their normal duty, as well as those working overtime.

When the directive comes into force, nurses and midwives at Mater Dei Hospital will not participate in the washing of patients except for those patients that cannot be bed bathed by the support staff due to their serious medical conditions, will not participate in nappy changes and ambulation of patients throughout day and night duties and will not participate in ward rounds.

It is high time to stand up and be counted

They have also been instructed not to distribute food or participate in any audit or perform any job shadowing. Nurses will also not be transferring patients between wards except for patients with a pulmonary embolism, chest drains or patients requiring intensive care.

Nurses will not transfer patients going for elective operations to any theatres, endoscopy rooms or suites, except mothers scheduled for a caesarean section.

While the union has also instructed its members to not wear any identification badges, it also ordered that they do not accept extra beds in wards or do any clerical work while computers or similar devices cannot be used.

Similar directives also apply to those working in main operating, A&E, the endoscopy unit and the outpatients’ department, as well as St Vincent De Paul Residence, Mount Carmel Hospital, Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital, the Gozo General Hospital, the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre, health centres, the National Immunisation Services, the Well Baby Clinic, the Commcare Unit, Elderly Homes and the Sir Paul Boffa Hospital.