What do you consider to be old school nursing or care work habits? I hear people talk about “back in my day” but no one ever says what that actually entails.
What behaviours do you pick up on that lets you know someone has been in the game for a long time? Could be significant or subtle. What would you like to come back and which habits do you want to see stuck in the past?
Another item that came up on my news feed: student loans at graduation, something around £37k, so anyone doing a second degree to become a nurse could end up with student loans of nearly £80k. Out of curiosity, why are people doing a second degree in nursing?
Getting a very well-paying job in nursing, such as management, is very competitive. I wonder if people realise that?
So for most, it will max out at maybe 45K or a bit more because of enhancements.
Out of curiosity, do most realise that before they start a second degree?
i dislike nights so bad .. how do u guys stay awake during nights?
I want to be able to look at a wound and know I need to put x y and z on or x wouldn’t work for this wound and why. Struggling to find anything helpful, does anyone have any resources?
Are trusts legally responsible for providing staff with training on using new cleaning solutions that are hazardous to health?
Ok, I'll get ready for tomatoes to be thrown my way, but this has been pricking my brain for a while, and I'm curious to hear the thoughts of others.
As a disclaimer, I value everyone from the team, from domestics to porters to pharmacists to the MDT, and treat them with kindness and understanding as they deserve. I believe that everyone is run off their feet and don't think anyone is taking the mickey. I have very hardworking colleagues who all do their best.
As someone who has been an HCA and now a nurse for a number of years, I hate when nurses get lumped into the same category as HCAs, porters l, housekeepers and domestics. You cannot compare the level of responsibility and accountability we face. An HCA typically leaves the shift on time (often early during handover, as their day is over) and can leave their job within seconds for someone to take over, whether they're being moved to another ward or have an escort job. A nurse cannot just do that. There is always documentation, handovers and responsibilities they must ensure for the safety of a patient.
When I see comments online saying "it's the domestics/HCAs/porters who keep the place together", it feels so dismissive. There are plenty of times when we are short of a domestic, porter or HCA and we suddenly have those responsibilities on top of our own. This isn't to put down or belittle other roles. I was an HCA myself and really understand the level of work that goes into it, but please do not ever lump us together. I feel that the general public are quick to do that.
They go by what they see. They don't see all the behind-the-scenes work that goes on for a nurse. Or the hours we stay late. Or the breaks that we miss. It's very easy to think that the HCAs are working harder as they are more front-facing and able to assist with the most basic needs. As a nurse, I miss those times when all I could do was give a patient their tea, sit with them or wash them.
But when there is talk of paying nurses more or giving them more recognition, there always seem to be people saying that it's the HCAs who keep it together!
Fact is, we can (barely and dangerously) manage a shift with just nurses, but we cannot manage a shift without nurses.
Please don't put our profession down. We work and trained damn hard for it, and it feels like a slap in the face when that is ignored.
If you were (or are) a band 7, and a member of your team was using what you considered a flippant tone while communicating a rather sizable problem in a closed office with only another band 7, would you:
A) say "mind your tone"
Or
B) tell your band 8 who then has to investigate?
Just a fun Saturday hypothetical
Saw a post on here and it triggered me so bad cause it’s exactly what I was saying about being a nurse and how your expected to do everyone’s jobs !
https://www.reddit.com/r/NursingUK/s/jEA5CzYsuM - they got a lot of backlash for this but I do agree with the sentiment
Disclaimer: I appreciate all members of the MDT and understand that short staffing and inclusion/exclusion criteria’s mean that nurses just have to pick up the slack 🤷🏾♀️ nit anyone’s fault but the higher ups
But my gosh do I hate nursing !! It’s is back breaking , thankless work. Patients are getting sicker, more complicated and bigger (that’s a convo for another day). Patients expect you to constantly tender to all their needs I genuinely think it’s some type of entitlement stemmed from them paying NI. They kinda come into hospital expecting gold star treatment and are shocked when no I will not wipe your arse you grown independent man !!!
Then don’t get me started on the management! They make such a big deal about the little things, did we just successfully manage multiple sick patients , whilst sorting out discharge + admissions yes ! But I forget to update the nutrition boards so now I get a datix ??? Yes I just managed to resuscitate a patient but next time I’ll make sure to take my fleece off in the dead of winter night !! Apologies I know how it really impacts patients care.
As nurses we are expected to do everyone job (obvs to an extent) but you know what I mean. I ask physio to review a patient they say “there’s nothing I can really do for them right now” I now have to do an assessment and find a mobility aid , hope we can get them to use it and go on from there !! On top of the million and one things I have to do ! I’m not the expert here , you are ! But I have to figure it out cause God forbid something happens the patient first thing they say is that the nurse should’ve done xyz!
The other day I referred my patient to SALT post decannulation “nurses need to do the first assessment then refer” I beg your fucking pardon ??? What if they aspirate ? I’m not the expert you are ?? am I understand sometimes it’s staffing and resources and you don’t have the time to see everyone who’s been referred and it’s more of an institutional issue by my gosh nurses really do feel the brunt of it.
You refer patients to teams and a lot of the time they expect you to do like half their job before they even consider reviewing the patient ? I’m not the pro you are hence why the patient was referred in the first place !!
No domestic staff , nurses start changing the bins and cleaning the floors , no hospitality nurses will go get you some breakfast and soup. Nurses are used in replace of lack of supporting staff and it’s honestly exhausting!! Genuinely why a lot of nurses especially young ones are leaving bedside. There’s no benefit at all !!
I don’t know if it’s a post Covid thing where management saw us manage on skeleton staffing and just said f it. These nurses done it before they can continue doing it
I could honestly say more. But I’ll leave it here
Appreciate the nurses , whilst you still have them
I got arrested on Monday for breach of the peace and then the arrest was undone as in I wasn’t charged or cautioned. I have also been sectioned 3 times this year. Will this affect my interview/job prospects?