The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is calling for all private hospitals to be fully nationalised.
It's calling for urgent government intervention in order to add beds and boost staffing in the health service over the coming weeks.
It comes as more than 7,000 healthcare workers are off work due to the impact of coronavirus.
They have either tested positive for covid-19 or are a close contact of a confirmed case.
Meanwhile, healthcare workers, who are deemed close contacts of someone with Covid 19, are being called back to work if they have no symptoms.
Hospitals are under massive pressure with 1,770 people now being treated for Covid 19.
INMO General Secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, says it's not safe to ask healthcare workers who are close contacts but don't have symptoms, to return to work.
She says it's "too high a risk" and has warned that infection rates can increase if the HSE continues with the policy.
