An alleged standoff between nurses at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) and ward nurses at the University Hospital of the West Indies has culminated in A&E nurses walking off the job.

The Gleaner understands that the A&E nurses are frustrated with severe overcrowding in the department which has limited space to settle patients.

An individual close to the situation claimed wards have retained several old beds that can no longer be used, which has prevented new beds from being put in place to accommodate new patients.