Like her colleagues throughout the State, Ms Claire Mahon had been optimistic that the benchmarking process would result in a breakthrough for nurses.
Instead of the recognition she had hoped for, however, yesterday's news of an 8 per cent pay increase provided further evidence that nurses' contribution to the health service continues to be undervalued.
Ms Mahon, a nurse in the theatre department of Waterford Regional Hospital, had no specific target in mind, but she and colleagues in the Irish Nurses' Organisation had expected more.
"I'm disappointed with it because I know the submission made by the INO (to the benchmarking body) was very comprehensive," she said. She had not been on duty yesterday but had spoken to two colleagues who, she said, were also very disappointed at the outcome.
As a staff nurse with 15 years' experience, Ms Mahon, who is married with four young children, has reached the top of her salary scale and is paid about €31,000 a year.
The 8 per cent rise, she said, would do nothing to address the recruitment problem facing the profession and also failed to recognise the higher educational standards nurses are now required to meet.
With the first degree graduates about to enter the profession this year, many nurses were taking higher education courses in their own time to keep up with developments in the profession, she said.
"In future, all nurses coming in will be of degree standard. You have to continue your education to maintain and improve the level you're at. It's not just a case of qualifying and then carrying on with the job. Trends are changing all the time," she said.
If more people were not attracted to the profession, the Government would be unable to deliver its health strategy, announced earlier this year. She could not say, however, whether nurses would accept the benchmarking recommendations, or contemplate industrial action.
