The nurses’ union will order industrial action unless a final collective agreement proposal reaches its doors by Friday.

Speaking to Times of Malta, MUMN general secretary Colin Galea said the union had been waiting for the agreement for far too long and enough was enough.

The last meeting between the government and the union took place four weeks ago and the union had not heard of the government's final position since then, he said.

"The union cannot accept to be treated this way," it said in a statement.

Nurses and midwives have been asked to follow a series of directives from Saturday, unless the agreement was sent over by the government on Friday.

The directives will be similar to the ones followed during the last strike over the collective agreement, Mr Galea said.

In July, nurses were instructed not to participate in washing patients, except in cases when they cannot be bed-bathed by support staff. They were also ordered not to transfer patients for elective operations to any theatres, endoscopy rooms or suites, except for mothers scheduled for a caesarean section.

The action had affected staff at Mater Dei Hospital, the intensive care unit, St Vincent de Paul Residence, Mount Carmel Hospital, Karin Grech Rehabilitation Hospital, Gozo General Hospital, Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre, health centres, the national immunisation services, the Well Baby Clinic, the Commcare Unit, elderly homes and Sir Paul Boffa Hospital.