Nurses and Midwives Strike at Lyell McEwin Hospital Over Pay Dispute

Nurses and midwives at the Lyell McEwin Hospital have walked off the job as pay negotiations with the state government continue.

Registered nurse Tash Billing told ABC 891's Breakfast program that she felt "empowered" before joining the 24-hour walkout.

"We're sick and tired," Ms Billing said.

"We just want respect from the government. We deserve it."

Mrs Billing, whose husband is also a nurse, said she had worked at Lyell McEwin Hospital in Elizabeth Vale for eight years and was sacrificing a day of pay to be a voice for her colleagues.

"At the moment, I just feel it is all a bunch of words," she said.

"I put the question to the government; you say we are the backbone of the health system ... but are we really? Because it doesn't seem like it ... it just seems that the government doesn't want to have a bar of it and just wants to lowball us."

Elizabeth Dabars from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation told ABC News that members wanted a nationally competitive offer and was seeking a 21 per cent pay increase over a three-year period.

"Here in South Australia, we’re finding that we are not nationally competitive in what is a national attraction and retention market, so if you want nurses and midwives by the bedside you’ve got to have paying conditions that reflect their value, their seniority and their experience, and just respect them more broadly," Ms Dabars said.

Ms Dabars many nurses and midwives were exploring the possibility of moving interstate.

"Those who are not in a position to [move] for family and other reasons, are literally looking to change professions and careers," she said.

"That’s really concerning."

While people in medical surgery inpatient units will be affected, the union said the 24-hour stoppage would not affect emergency services or intensive care areas.

In a statement to ABC News, Karen Puvogel, Chief Executive Officer at Northern Adelaide Local Health Network, said it had been working with the ANMF to ensure staffing arrangements provided a safe level of care for patients.

"Staffing levels will be maintained across a range of services, including emergency departments, ICU, cardiology, birthing and special care nursery services," she said.

"We have put arrangements in place to ensure patient and staff safety is not impacted. No surgeries have been cancelled."

As the 24-hour strike continued, Ms Dabars said her message to the Premier Peter Malinauskas, Health Minister Blair Boyer and Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis was clear.

"We respect and value what you're doing and we're inviting you to respect and value what nurses and midwives are doing," she said.

Treasurer says he has a 'great deal of time and respect' for nurses

On Wednesday, Tom Koutsantonis told ABC 891 Drive he was not going to criticise nurses for expressing their industrial voice.

“We’ve done everything we can to minimise disruption on the public, but the nurses are entitled to make their decisions," he said.

“We are going about the work now behind the scenes to work out exactly what we can offer to get to that arrangement so our nurses are given real wage increase, they're not bottom of the class nationally, and they're recognised for the life saving work they do."

Mr Koutsantonis made reference to midwives saving his daughter Tia's life when she was born 12 weeks premature.

"I have a great deal of time and respect for them,"