Thousands of nurses from 180 NSW hospitals have voted during a statewide strike to launch a fresh round of industrial action in their fight for patient-staff ratios.
Three thousand nurses and midwives in Sydney, and 2000 in regional centres, voted on Wednesday to continue their campaign on September 17.
The details of what format the action will take is yet to be determined.
The NSW Nurses and Midwives Association (NSWNMA) wants the government to guarantee staff-to-patient ratios and mandate a four hour cap on patient contact time per eight-hour shift in community health services.
Addressing hundreds of nurses in western Sydney, NSWNMA secretary Brett Holmes said Wednesday marked a "pivotal day in the campaign".
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"We never willingly walk away from our patients but this state government has left us nowhere else to turn," Mr Holmes told a rally in Sydney.
"So far the O'Farrell government hasn't given an inch."
He said it was unlikely improved staff-to-patient ratios would be part of the next industry award.
"In the next couple of weeks it's likely that you will have new award for 2013 until 2014, and with it a pay increase," Mr Holmes said.
"That award will not contain improvements or extensions to our ratio system because the government will have abused its large parliamentary majority."
Wednesday's strike action is staggered through the day, with some nurses walking off the job for as long as 24 hours.
Many hospitals are running at minimum staffing levels as a result.
Unions NSW secretary Mark Lennon said the government's inaction on ratios was part of a wider attack on the public sector.
"This government treats its employees with contempt and this is a prime example," Mr Lennon told the rally.
The NSW government says it is expanding its nursing and midwifery workforce, boosting frontline services and making sure wages keep pace with other public sector employees.
But Opposition health spokesman Andrew McDonald says nurse-patient ratios had "revolutionised" patient care and should be rolled out across the state.
Sarah, a registered nurse from Shellharbour hospital, said the campaign was "all about" boosting patient care.
"They don't get the proper care they're supposed to," she said.
NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner thanked the "vast majority" of nurses for not joining the strike.
About 1770 of the states 47,500 nurses - 36,000 of whom belong to the NSWNMA who organised the strike - walked off the job, Ms Skinner added.
"This strike action has been disappointing but our hospitals coped incredibly well because of our record nursing workforce," she said in a statement on Wednesday.
