We're still emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most virulent infections that has criss-crossed the globe in the last century.

And NSW nurses have been on the frontline of helping the state and the nation contain and control that pandemic.

They've done this work at risk to their own health and wellbeing, without asking for much more than ensuring there's enough nurses on the ward and emergency department.

The rally by nurses on their lunchbreak on Friday in Griffith should be sending a message - as should the other rallies being held around the state demanding a minor pay increase and proper staff ratios.

It's great to see there is progress on Griffith's new base hospital and it will no doubt improve the level of healthcare that can be offered for residents.

However, if our nurses are being pushed to the point where they cannot provide the standard of care we expect because there are not enough of them working in our hospitals, there's a problem.

We're not just talking about paying staff members - we're talking about ensuring the people who care for us have the work they do valued correctly.

MORE EDITORIALS

The people who choose to become nurses, paramedics or those who work in a position caring for members of our community don't do it for the pursuit of money.

They do it because they want to care for the community first and foremost.

A government taking advantage of the fact that they prioritise someone else's wellbeing over the their own, and avoids paying those people what they're worth should take a step back and realise what message is being sent to voters.

Since 2011, the Liberal-National Coalition government has limited all public sector workers to pay rises of no more than 2.5 per cent.

They've banked the savings and are now trying to hold back more from supporting the healthcare workers, and other public sector employees in our community.

It would be nice to think that we don't need nurses - but unfortunately we remain mortal and haven't quite cracked that formula of everlasting youth and life.

To see nurses pushed to taking their lunch break in order to send a message to the government, and to ask the community to back their fight seems a little rough considering the last 12 months.