Nurses and midwives across NSW have walked off the job for the third time this year, demanding a boost to staffing levels.
A 24-hour strike began at 7am on Thursday, as members of the Nurses and Midwives' Association (NSWNMA) called for fixed nurse-to-patient ratios in the state's hospitals.
A picket line has formed outside Westmead Hospital in Sydney's west.
Security attempted to move the group along, some holding signs reading "enough is enough" and "this hospital is not staffed for safety".
Another sign was addressed to the state's Premier: "Perrottet — Westmead is at breaking point".
Speaking outside the hospital, nurse Denny Anderson said staffing was a constant challenge.
"We're often five, six, seven nurses short per shift, and what that means is increased workloads for us and obviously care that we can't provide for our patients in the emergency department," he said.
He said nurses should look after no more than three or four patients per shift.
Nurses and Midwives Association General Secretary, Shaye Candish, said the third strike was necessary.
"We need the NSW government to engage in meaningful discussions on introducing safe nursing and midwifery ratios across our state," she said.
The union said it was arranging 60 rallies across the state.
A NSW Health spokesperson said health districts had plans in place to minimise disruptions in hospitals, and to ensure emergency care can be provided.
"The NSW government and NSW Health have engaged in extensive and ongoing discussions with the NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said the strike is in defiance of orders from the Industrial Relations Commission.
Nurse trainer Paula Sanchez, speaking outside Liverpool Hospital in the Sydney's south-west, said the profession was struggling to attract staff.
"We need better conditions for nurses otherwise the nurses are going to continue to walk out of jobs and our new graduates are not going to have places to go because they're not going to cope," she said.
Roughly 100 nurses, midwives and healthcare managers gathered together in Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid North Coast for the statewide strike action.
Registered nurse, Kim Wiegold, said she and her colleagues work under "extremely tough conditions".
"Every day is dire, every day is frightening that we are not able to provide care at the level our community deserves," Ms Wiegold said.
"This could be your family member that's in those hospitals that's not getting the care they need and that could be tragic."
Loureene Kelly graduated in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She said her hospital was "bleeding senior staff" and that the level of responsibility she is landed with as a junior nurse is "scary".
Meanwhile, union delegate Leanne Lovering said she was willing to strike again in the future.
"Sometimes we do an 18 hour shift, so it's a double shift... and sometimes we'll be short staffed so there'll be three of us for 28 patients," Ms Lovering said.
In Bega, NSWNMA delegate Diane Lang said the strike was about getting better care for the community.
"Making sure that when they come into hospital, there's adequate staff in the ED and there are adequate staff on the wards to deliver the best possible care," she said.
The NSWNMA is among a host of unions in the state to take strike action throughout 2022.
Yesterday, members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union took part in industrial action as part of an ongoing dispute with the state government.
Sydney's public transport network was severely impacted, with many train and bus services lost to the strike.
The state government has criticised the industrial actions, and says unions are holding NSW to ransom.
