If you work for NHS do you ever feel like giving up?

[Pileonsally]

I work for NHS and have always felt its a rewarding job, supporting people in crisis, making a difference.
However last 18mths I feel like giving up. I have no resources to help. No staff. Massive workload. Feel im constantly letting patients down and surrounded by poor care (due to lack of resources, not the wonderful staff).
Feel like getting out but then feel so sad giving up.
Also no idea what else I can do?

Does anyone else feel like this ?

big hug. No answers either. But as a fellow NHS worker I feel the same.

Yes, and I haven't even been qualified that long. I'm on annual leave now for 2 weeks and I'm already dreading returning and wondering if i should go off with stress. I won't, but it's definitely crossed my thoughts.

Same here. Feel like resigning amd stuffing my pension and career because I cant cope:(

Yes, feel the same absolutely. Have been off for the last month with stress related anxiety. Have given my notice in and am lining up a few different things on bank basis only to try and diversify my skills a bit and find some enjoyment in work again.

The crunch came when I felt I couldn't practice safely anymore, this led to extreme anxiety, which then started impacting on my home and family life. That's when I knew I had to make a change because the job wasnot ever going to change for the better.

I work in children’s services and since the pandemic the work load has massively increased- no support as managers are under it too… every week there are electronic leaving cards to sign as people are leaving- stress is a big factor and no one cares about staff loyalty- it’s very depressing - you are not alone x

I left, best thing I ever did tbh.

Yes, although I moved roles a few months back and touch wood seem to have found more of a balance and am actually not dreading work again. Would you consider moving from where you are now to another type of role and seeing how it goes? Getting off the wards was the best thing I ever did, I came very close to quitting many times, but I do love the actual job and couldn't imagine doing anything else; but of course need to do what is right for you, no judgement whatsoever if that's leaving.

I feel you , I just worked 12 days in a row because we are so badly staffed.
Came in this morning, and one of my colleagues has overslept, because he didn’t realise he had work today. So I had to cover all of his work this morning too.
It’s not his fault though, he has only had 1 day off in 2 weeks and he’s losing track of all the shift changes to cover other people being sick.
I feel like moving to a country which actually values their health care workers.

It’s not like it is just bad luck with people being off sick either. It’s always like this.
Whenever people take annual leave we really struggle to cope.
We need more staff but we lose them quicker than we hire them.

I hear you. I’ve been a nurse 15 years in Critical Care. I’m taking some time out in phone triage as a break as Covid broke me. Worked till 12:00 last night. Woke this morning to an aggressive email from my manager that is completely over the top of some very perceived slight.

I wish I could leave but I have 2 young children and really struggle for childcare

Yes. Critical care here too. Leaving to do agency and pick and choose my own shifts for better work life balance. Sod the pension.

I recently left acute care after 20 years to work in a local small carehome but that was even more stressful with no staff, no equipment and poor outside community support.
What job are you currently doing OP.

I left, went into private healthcare and love it. I was worried I was going to the dark side, but I'm still helping people, have reasonable working hours and good pay. A lot of my new colleagues feel they are overworked, but compared to what I was doing before I find it a walk in the park.

Worked for the NHS for 15 years. I’m struggling. The actual work I like, but the management style and criticism, lack of understanding about individual needs (I am Autistic and have long term health needs). No idea what else I will do. Considering primary care such as practice nursing but I’m not sure it would actually be any better.

Every day

Yes. Work in the community and covid made me realise how horrible most people are. We are so disposable to them. Patients especially

I left. I've taken a huge pay cut working in gardening. Love it!

Yes I am leaving. 1 week left of my notice period to go.

Been in the nhs since 2002.

I no longer enjoy the job and feel maternity services are getting worse by the day. Staffing is ludicrous and the remaining staff are so desperately unhappy. Plans for continuity are pushing more staff away too.

I left 3 years ago after being a mental health nurse for 17 years due to new management and just not enjoying the job as there was very little hands on care it was all paperwork and meeting targets and the unsociable hours were getting me down.
I still work for the NHS but in a gp’s surgery in the admin team and I love it.I work part time no weekends no late shifts or bank holidays plus there’s always overtime if you want it.I did take a cut in wages but I can walk to work where before I had a 30 minute journey to and from work so cut down on petrol.
When I left I was one of 5 staff members that had left for other jobs or took early retirement.

Yes. I've worked in ICU for 22 years, qualified nearly 30.
Before covid I was finding it stressful, sick of people not pulling their weight etc. Obviously even more so with covid, very short staffed, dangerous skill mixes, utter confusion as we sequestered several wards to cope with the excess patients, didn't know where stuff was, even vital equipment, a couple of very hairy moments when things went pear shaped (usually docs deciding to do things without considering things like staffing etc).
I caught covid pretty badly, resumed work after several months off sick but management didn't have a clue, phased return was all of 2 weeks . Ended up with a big relapse in A/E and although now much improved still not 100%. I'm now probably going to take flexi retirement but can't afford to give up completely. I'm even considering working as a health care assistant instead just to supplement my pension as I just don't want the stress anymore.

Yes, and posts like one recently with a complaint about a 2hr wait for an ambulance after a fall, and then not being seen immediately in ED after triage, and the awful nurses not checking in to see about drinks wanted, are so demoralising.
None of the above is great, but show complete disregard for the nightmare state of poor staffing and general armageddon we are dealing with now.

Yes, all the time.

I left, best thing I ever did. I do the odd bank shift but that's it.

I must admit that I'm a bit fed up. In paediatrics we spent most of Covid colouring and cleaning and not much work. We've just gone mad with the normal winter bugs. We've had to cancel elective surgery again, to staff the medical wards. We had a fantastic surgical pathway that worked really well before Covid. It's scrapped for now and what we are doing is relentless and doesn't work. We desperately need to go back to pre Covid. But no sign yet. I've never known morale so low and loads if people leaving.

I’m in the private sector and also work bank elsewhere. Everywhere is short staffed it seems but some places seem marginally better than others.