SPAT AT..ABUSED..STAB THREATS

Nurse reveals daily hell working in Ireland's crisis-hit hospitals

- FERGHAL BLANEY

A PAEDIATRIC nurse yesterday revealed she was threatened with being stabbed as she left work.

Sylvia Chambers told a Dail Committee in Leinster House she had been spat at and verbally abused daily.

She added: "I've had grown men, 6ft 4ins, towering over me, throwing objects at me." Ms Chambers told the committee the situation was caused by overcrowding and a lack of security in hospitals.

And INMO chief Phil Ni Sheaghdha added: "At least 10 assaults occur every day in a profession overwhelmingly made up of women - it is not acceptable."

NURSES are facing stab threats, being spat at, kicked and verbally abused at work, a traumatised health worker told a Dail committee yesterday.

Sylvia Chambers was speaking on behalf of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation who were in Leinster House to talk about the abuse being suffered by their members in the State health service.