Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is calling for urgent action to address the rising number of presentations at the emergency department at UHG.
It comes as 230 patients presented at the unit between midnight on Sunday and midnight yesterday.
The INMO's Ann Burke says this has resulted in huge pressures on nurses and unacceptable waiting times for patients.
Early today, there were 40 patients on trolleys at the city acute hospital, with 15 waiting for a period greater than 48 hours.
The union has warned the volume of presentations has led to issues such as a lack of privacy and confidentiality.
She told Galway Talks nurses need support and increased bed capacity to provide safe patient care...