On Friday, members of the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association nurse managers branch in the Western NSW Local Health District voted to walk out from 9am until 11am on Tuesday.

NSWNMA general secretary Brett Holmes said the levels of desperation and despair expressed by the health service managers and senior nursing staff was profound, and warranted urgent action by the NSW government.

"We've got senior nurse managers in Bourke, Cobar, Lightning Ridge, Nyngan, Warren, Tottenham, Trundle and Tullamore Multi-Purpose Services all struggling right now to fill holes in nursing rosters. That's also being compounded by growing nurse vacancies WNSW LHD hasn't recruited to," Mr Holmes said.

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"The situation has become so dire, senior nurse managers are resorting to strike for two hours and seek a meeting with the Premier, Deputy Premier and Health Minister to escalate their concerns.

"These HSM and senior nurse managers have very real fears that patients' lives are at risk and their own professional registrations are being put in jeopardy, given the volume of unfilled shifts."

Mr Holmes said the Lightning Ridge MPS has more than 140 vacant nursing shifts in the coming month. He said Nyngan and Warren MPSs have up to 90 unfilled shifts in their rosters and Bourke MPS has more than 50.

Mr Holmes said Trundle and Tottenham MPSs have more than 30 nursing shifts vacant.

NSWNMA is calling for statewide nurse-to-patient ratios on every shift, including a minimum of at least three nurses in every rural and remote facility.

It is yet to receive a government response.