Hospital management have run out of patience with ten former nurses who failed to be reappointed in the wake of a staff shake-up at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital.

And they have now called time on the ten former employees, demanding that they must make a decision to either accept or reject the board's offer of alternative employment by today.

Last week The Royal Gazette reported that the ten nursing staff had been on fully paid administrative leave for nearly two months while they considered their futures at the hospital.

And it looked as though the stalemate could go on indefinitely at the taxpayer's expense when both parties said it was up to the other to reach an agreement.

The board had offered the ten alternative positions with similar salaries at the hospital and said no alternative offer would be considered. But nurses countered by rejecting that offer, claiming it was up to management to come up with a redundancy package.

Yesterday the board seized the initiative by contacting all ten former staff members with the simple message -- your time is up.

One hospital insider said letters to all ten staff were sent out yesterday, asking for a decision by the end of today.

"There have been movements and ultimatums are being sent out by mail,'' the source said.

It is not known whether the ten staff will accept the board's offer and go back to work or take further action, which could involve legal proceedings.

Last night Bermuda Public Services Association General Secretary Ed Ball would not speculate on any final outcome.

He did confirm the nurses had been issued with a deadline ultimatum but would only add that talks were still ongoing and at a "delicate stage''.

One of the ten, former Assistant Director of Nursing Sandra Allen, who now does volunteer work at the Matilda Smith Williams Seniors Residence Home, also refused to comment on the latest developments when contacted last night.