{"id":568099,"date":"2026-07-25T22:05:12","date_gmt":"2026-07-25T22:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/568099\/"},"modified":"2026-07-25T22:05:12","modified_gmt":"2026-07-25T22:05:12","slug":"like-the-meat-inside-a-toasted-sandwich-nurses-and-doctors-on-working-during-a-heatwave","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/568099\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Like the meat inside a toasted sandwich’: Nurses and doctors on working during a heatwave"},"content":{"rendered":"

UNUSUAL RASHES, FAINTING, and baking conditions.<\/p>\n

These are some of the things that doctors and nurses have seen during the hot spell that has gripped the country over the past few weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Many of the hospitals, clinics and nursing homes in Ireland are not built to withstand hot weather, meaning that healthcare workers and patients experienced the brunt of the searing temperatures, which saw parts of Ireland climb to over 30 degrees.<\/p>\n

Nurse Alice Carew, who works at Cashel Older Persons Residential Services in Co Tipperary, compared her working conditions to \u201cthe meat in a toasted sandwich\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking to The Journal, she said that her building, which dates back to the 1930s, was poorly equipped for high temperatures.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re in an old surgical building that was renovated back in Covid. We have a massive concrete roof. So, as you can imagine, that draws in the heat during the day, and gives it out during the night.<\/p>\n

The home houses around 60 patients who are over the age of 65. Carew\u2019s ward, Cro\u00ed \u00d3ir, has 19 patients and is located on the first and second floors of a two-storey building.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It has large windows that only open a fraction of an inch, with no air conditioning.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were like the meat inside a toasted sandwich, the heat from above, the heat from below.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Mick Molloy, chair of the Irish Medical Organisation Consultants Committee, told The Journal that there were similar conditions in his hospital, adding that many of Ireland\u2019s hospitals were not designed for the heat.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMost of our hospital buildings would have been built in the 50s or 60s or\u00a0in the 80s or 90s. The engineering at that time was looking at how you keep in as much heat, not how much you get out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can have these small waiting rooms which have lots and lots of windows, which\u2026 let in a lot of heat. If there\u2019s no place in the room that you can get away from the sun, it can be a very uncomfortable place to be if you\u2019re already suffering from heat exposure or sun exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"minimalist-waiting-room-with-blue-chairs-and-two-large-windows-nagold-hospital-des-klinikverbund-suedwest-calw-district-germany\"
\n A hospital waiting room. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

This, coupled with lack of blinds, can lead to roasting temperatures inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Carew described how the heat boxes the patients and nurses in from all angles: rising from the kitchen on the ground floor, coming in through the many windows, and oppressing them from above through the concrete roof.\n<\/p>\n

Fans helped to \u2018raise morale\u2019<\/p>\n

While there were one or two fans dotted around the ward, Carew said they were \u201conly blowing the warm air around the place\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was no actual air cooling,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom an infection prevention point of view, fans aren\u2019t really the best thing to be using,\u201d she added, as they can blow the infection around.<\/p>\n

For Niall Kennedy, who works in the neighbouring rehabilitation ward on the ground floor, staff resorted to bringing in fans themselves as none were provided by the HSE.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fans raised the morale,\u201d he said. \u201cYou have to problem-solve the whole time in the health service \u2013 it\u2019s how you get along.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"a-hospital-room-shows-a-stretcher-ready-for-use-next-to-a-fan-there-are-lockers-in-the-background-the-scene-appears-to-be-set-during-daytime\"
\n A fan by a hospital bed. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

Carew said that while they had asked for the installation of air conditioning units in previous years, nothing had changed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin the health service, things take a long, long time to get done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is legislation in place, but again, funding, time, all those things go against any kind of updates and modernisation of any older buildings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Within the health service, things take a long, long time to get done.\u201d<\/p>\n

The HSE was asked to comment on the conditions inside the home in Cashel.<\/p>\n

Speaking more generally, the HSE said that it \u201cfully recognises that protracted periods of extreme heat may present a safety and health risk for members of our workforce\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAppropriate control measures are being implemented, informed by local risk assessments, to mitigate these risks and support staff health, safety and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

\u201cOlder facilities are particularly challenging to maintain consistent temperatures in. Factors such as orientation, fenestration, and the responsiveness of older heating systems all play a part in the building temperature experienced by patients and staff, even in different locations within a building.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile air conditioning is present in many facilities and while we continually upgrade older buildings, it is worth noting that air conditioning is not the singular way of providing building cooling. Passive cooling can be achieved through building orientation, solar shading, thermal mass and natural ventilation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn hospitals and care settings, the focus is on the early recognition of heat-related illness, keeping patients, service users and staff as cool as possible, ensuring access to fluids and escalating care where required.\u201d<\/p>\n

How has the heat impacted patients?<\/p>\n

Dr Molloy told The Journal how the heat had led to an uptick in patients admitted to the emergency department, both for people who were dehydrated but also those who experience adverse side effects from medication.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have some medications that don\u2019t interact well with the sun, and people can end with quite extreme rashes,\u201d Molloy said.<\/p>\n

\"doxycycline-capsules-tetracycline-antibiotics-to-treat-infections-caused-by-bacteria\"
\n People taking Doxycycline are warned to avoid the sun. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

For certain antibiotics which are for chest and skin infection \u2013 particularly Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin or Tetracycline \u2013 the advice is to completely avoid the sun, as they increase sun sensitivity.<\/p>\n

Two patients were admitted in the last week with these symptoms, which Molloy described as \u201ctwo too many\u201d.<\/p>\n

Orlagh Gaynor of Irish Doctors for the Environment said that the link between heat and health is not always obvious. \u201cIt means more people attending emergency departments with heart attacks, strokes and kidney injuries, and many others,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany patients are not aware of the health dangers of heat, even at just 25\u02daC.\u201d<\/p>\n

Molloy also spoke about an increase in people fainting, due to blood pressure falling too low in the heat.<\/p>\n

An average of six to eight patients are being admitted to the ED per week with these symptoms, Molloy said.<\/p>\n

People can end with quite extreme rashes<\/p>\n

Blood pressure drops when you stand for long periods of time, he explained, which can happen standing at concerts, and can lead to fainting as the body tries to raise the blood pressure.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re actually trying to lose heat by expanding the blood vessels closer to the skin\u2026 but what can happen is you just pull too much blood, drop your blood pressure, and faint.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said that this was also an issue for people on medication to lower blood pressure. His advice was to keep your legs moving, sit frequently, or raise your legs to increase your blood pressure.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"sonar-barcelona\"
\n People standing at a gig. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

In Tipperary, nurses had to be particularly aware of patients\u2019 needs, as many residents of the Cashel home are not mobile, and some are non-verbal.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed to be mindful of [patients\u2019] skin conditions, different diagnoses, and that they might be dependent on someone to give them a drink\u201d.<\/p>\n

Some patients with dementia, multiple sclerosis, or those who\u2019d suffered a stroke, may not have the \u201ccognitive capacity\u201d to say \u201cI\u2019m thirsty\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone is non-verbal, they don\u2019t have that opportunity to say \u2018I\u2019m hot\u2019 or \u2018my skin is feeling hot\u2019,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In the wards, with the sun beaming in, \u201cthe only real protection we had was to try and close down the blinds or the curtains to try and keep some of the heat out\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat takes away from the pleasure of knowing that it is summer,\u201d Carew said. \u201cThey don\u2019t see much from up and up in the two floors, but at least, to look out a window.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carew also described how the medical-grade mattresses and cushions were not designed for people during the heat. The material is coated and waterproof for hygiene purposes and so it is easy to clean. \u201cIt\u2019s all heat and perspiration,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"expert-young-nurse-working-at-the-hospital-she-is-making-the-bed-and-changing-sheets-healthcare-service-and-assistance-concept\"
\n A nurse makes a bed. Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

For the nurses, working in the heatwave in medical-grade clothing meant they were \u201chot and sticky\u201d a lot of the time and needed to find time to grab a drink themselves.<\/p>\n

\u201cNursing is predominantly female and then we\u2019re of a certain age, menopause. So you\u2019ve got your own heat, you know, with heat flushes and then all this heat coming on you. It\u2019s not easy,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Carew also spoke about the long shifts of eight to 12 hours, and how the night shifts took their toll, as sleeping during the daytime in the heat was difficult.<\/p>\n

What can be done?<\/p>\n

One of the solutions is first to get more fans and air conditioning, Molloy said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then, he recommended making amendments to the buildings to improve their airflow and prevent pockets of heat accumulating.<\/p>\n

In the long term, he said it is important to engineer buildings differently.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UNUSUAL RASHES, FAINTING, and baking conditions. These are some of the things that doctors and nurses have seen…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":568100,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[174679,3104,7728,239708,18297,2926,2776,77001,15463,3175,201836,61,239709,60,43,5728,5798,53119,239710],"class_list":["post-568099","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ireland","tag-air-conditioning","tag-antibiotics","tag-cashel","tag-cashel-residential-older-persons-services","tag-co-tipperary","tag-dementia","tag-doctor","tag-fainting","tag-heatwave","tag-hospital","tag-hot-weather","tag-ie","tag-illnesses","tag-ireland","tag-news","tag-nurses","tag-patients","tag-rash","tag-too-hot"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568099","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=568099"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/568099\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/568100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=568099"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=568099"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=568099"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}