A nurse says she has paid up to $500 in fines because of a lack of parking.

Brett Wortman

NURSES at Nambour General Hospital face waits of up to three years for an on-site parking space.

This follows the Daily's revelation on Saturday that the Sunshine Coast Council last year handed out 4044 parking tickets in the vicinity of the hospital.

A registered nurse, who asked not to be named to protect her employment, said yesterday the lack of parking was dire.

“I have been working at Nambour hospital as an RN for four years and in that time I would have spent between $400 and $500 in parking fines,” she said.

“I had my name on the waiting list when I was first employed at Nambour yet I never got a parking spot.

“I would have to get security to drive me to my car at night as it isn't safe to walk.

“There is nothing worse than having to worry about parking when you're on the job.”

A spokeswoman for the Queensland Nurses Union said the situation had been overlooked for too many years.

“We recognise that the issue is difficult to rectify but nurse safety is paramount,” the spokeswoman said.

“Nurses work around the clock and there's often no public transport available.”

Councillor Paul Tatton said a Nambour Health Precinct Working Group, which will meet for the first time on Friday, had been formed to help find a solution.

Queensland Health did not provide a response to the nurse's claims.