The Queensland government is seeking to progress the deal with a union over wage increases and will engage in dispute resolution through the state's Industrial Relations Commission.
Nurses and midwives say they will stop answering phones, attend meetings and enter data if the government does not deliver what they want.
Queensland's Liberal National government has two days to meet the Nurses and Midwives Union's demand for a 13 per cent pay rise over three years, otherwise industrial action will ramp up.
The 45,000-strong union members have been wearing pink for weeks as part of the first stage of industrial action to bargain for a better pay deal.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls describes the government offer of 11 per cent over three years as the best in Australia.
It includes three per cent in April 2025, 2.5 per cent in April 2026 and April 2027, and an extra three per cent in December 2027.
"We remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver a nation-leading pay deal for nurses and midwives in recognition of their important contribution to our state's health system and look forward to finalising an agreement with the QNMU," Mr Nicholls said in a statement on Monday.
But the union claims this leaves Queensland nurses and midwives no longer the best paid in the nation for the first time in 15 years, with Victoria taking out the top position.
"Falling behind looks like dangerous understaffing, longer wait times and increased adverse patient outcomes," Queensland Nurses and Midwives' Union secretary Sarah Beaman told reporters on Monday.
"Falling behind looks like not having enough nurses and midwives to provide care, which will result in reduced access to free care where you live."
The government has until Wednesday to respond to the union's demands, otherwise the second stage of "disruptive" industrial action will begin from July 7.
This includes no longer making beds, refusing data entry and administration activities like answering phones or filing and not attending meetings.
Ms Beaman has reassured the public that the action will not impact patient safety.
"As always, patient safety will remain paramount with our action," she said.
The industrial action will continue until the state government comes to the table with a better pay offer, and could escalate if demands are not met.
Ms Beaman said nurses and midwives were feeling "staggeringly disrespected" as months of pay negotiations fall short.
"You've got a government that is sitting there saying that it respects nurses and midwives, that it values nurses and midwives, yet not one of the items put forward by them actually walks that talk," she said.
The state budget on Tuesday included a record $33 billion health infrastructure spend.
Ms Beaman said the funds should have been allocated to deliver the government's election commitment of nation-leading wages.
"The funding necessary to recruit and retain skilled humans to care for Queensland has not been appropriately allocated," she said.
"Multibillion-dollar health facilities without skilled staff are like a car without an engine."
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