The INMO say nursing staff are being physically, sexually and verbally assaulted in hospitals across the country and say an audit of security protocols is well overdue.
The union made the comments after new figures revealed that nursing staff have reported 33,000 assaults over the past 7 years.
There were 4,500 assaults on nurses during 2020, and over 3,200 so far this year.
Speaking to RedFM News, Liam Conway from the INMO in Cork says a review of Cork hospitals needs to be urgently carried out.
"they need to put in additional resources where applicable. It's simply unacceptable for any nurse or midwife to go into the workplace and be at the end of an assault.
"There needs to be significant measures put in place. If there continues to be an increase in assault numbers year on year, even in 2020 where we would have seen less attendances in emergency departments because of Covid-19, then there's a serious problem and the HSE needs to take immediate action to protect their staff.
"They have obligations on them in terms of providing a safe working environment, and the emergency department at the end of the day is a work place, and they need to take immediate action."
RedFM News has contacted the HSE for a statement
