AIBU to think that Cameron is telling nurses to do things that they already do?

[MyNameIsNotNurse]

Or aim to do given the oppertunity.
Link

David Cameron's 'ideas'
Hourly checks on patients to make sure they have had enought to eat/drink and are comefortable.
Isn't this just basic care?
Also to have members of the public doing spot checks on their local hospitals, isn't this just going a bit too far?

I would really like him to do a 12 hour shift on a busy ward, with sick people needing more than just the hourly walk around to make sure that things are ok.
What about the patients who are in need of 15 minute observations. Patients with poor mobility who take more than 30 seconds to get to the toilet and needs assistance every step of the way. What about the drug rounds? Then multiply that by 30 pateints for 2 staff nurses (some with little experiance) If 1 patient is really ill thats 1 nurse down so 30 patients beeing looked after by 1 nurse, and maybe 1 or 2 HCA.

Why does he not discuss the staffing issues, which most wards have the mountains of paper work which each and every nurse has to get through every shift which takes away from the care of patients.
Most nurses I know stay behind to finish paperwork, turn into work when they or their family is not well, go without breaks, work 12hours a shift, do extra shifts and Given up our measily 3% payrise over 3 years.

He's just making a lot of noise saying we should do things we already do in order that the public think we're not doing them and we lose support?

You know not everyone is able to care for their child in hospital. If you have several children but no family back up, you can literally be left with no choice but to not spend as much time as you want with your hospitalised child. Lots of people these days don't have the family support for all kinds of reasons that people once did.

I haVE 4 DCS and a great partner. But if I was single and my partner was no help I would be literally on my own with no help. My parents are too elderly and ill to help me. One of my siblings lives abroad the other is useless and wouldn't offer even basic help. My GPs are dead. All my uncles and aunts are either dead or very elderly. And because of a big family dispute with the older generation I have not even met any of my cousins since I was about 5.

So if one of my dcs was in hospital and my partner wouldn't help, I would have no choice but to leave that child in hospital alone at times while I looked after the other 3 dcs. It would be a juggling time of babysitters to visit at all.

But you seem to think that if someone doesn't care for their dc in hospital all the time or visit their elderly relative, then they don't care. That is just not true.

Coraltoes if you do not care what profession each staff member is, then how do you know whether you are asking them to do something professionally or even legally inappropriate/ Moan all you like about that person not bringing you a commode but if they happen to be a senior doctor or ward clerk, then they simply won't! Certain professions cannot give drugs, are not trained to do catheter care etc. It is ridiculous and again, invalidates your point to say it is not important to ascertain the professional duties each staff member has or does not have. You only have to ask.

As for the examples you cited. Both sound dreadful. The second one appears to be a doctor probably not communicating his care plan to nurses. Too many doctors still drop by to visit their patients, tell them to do or not do something then sail off the ward not having told the nurses. No the nurse should not have shouted. But it is not nurses fault for doctors transgressions.

boglach - i would be more than happy to pay more taxes for this.

nursenic - Very ill and often confused people are often unable to differentiate between who different staff are and what their job is. Staff need to pass on the request to whoever is appropriate.

Lesley a colleague was hit on the head so hard by an elderly patient with dementia that her retinas detached and she is now legally blind. So i can tell you right now that I hold no illusions about sweet old people.

As for misplaced guilt MrsH I can dare say it and I will. How dare you insult the many hard working empathetic nurses (including the ones who helped me nurse at home, my terminally ill GF) who struggle on in the NHS? You sound a total FW.

MrsH

You are hell bent on implying most nurses are lazy and uncaring

I am not bullying anyone but I am massively offended by your assertions. Especially when I was a good nurse who did care, very much. So actually I feel bullied and undermined by your sweeping generalisations when you have no idea what it is like to nurse in the most stressful circumstances

I am sorry you have received bad care, truly I am. But you cannot expect your views not to upset and offend. They simply aren't true, and beligerently making untruthful assumptions is actually a very bullying attitude.

I'm at hospital at least once every 2 weeks, I've had a number of inpatient stays in the last 2 years, as well as numerous outpatient procedures.

I can honestly say I haven't met a nurse who is anything other than friendly, caring and comforting. They have been, to the very last one, the one thing that has got me through this horribly difficult time.

I've had a horrible experience with a Dr though and witnessed some very unreasonable patients.

Just saying, for balance like.

Ill patients might not be able to differentiate. But their visitors can and frequently do not.

Nursenic, totally appreciate it might not be allowed for someone to do it. But they can find the right person to do. Whey of are the dehydrated patient who cannot reach the jug of water you don't care who passes it to you, you just want someone to notice and help. That is what is missing. I totally appreciate everyone on ward is overworked and this is the cause of a lot of the "neglect" but the attitude of "I'm not allowed or it's not my job" is galling when the task is as simple as passing a cup of water.

I haven't experienced any excellent nursing care to draw on only dire care and believe you me over the past 10 years I've been in hospital enough for various reasons so it's hardly a 1 off experience.

but many wouldn't lesley

Greedy right wing attitudes, that want it all, and still expect the best care in an impoverished NHS

When I have been ill in hospital I have had elderly peopel call me nurse and ask for help. So if they confuse another patient in her nightie as a nurse how ffs are they supposed to knoe if they are speaking to an hca or nurse and asking for an appropriate task to be done?

Thank you wubblybubbly and I am typing this in tears because I love my job, my patients and I work very hard to fill in the gaps caused by the myriad of problems in the NHS. The attitude of people like the MrsH does even more harm. And she still hasn't answered the task prioritising question set earlier. If it is not her job to answer this question, then it is not her place to generalise either.

MrsH so in all your life you haven't experienced one bit of decent care under the NHS?

Oh that's right. All the doctors were good

But of course they work in a vacuum. They don't need good nursing care in order to do their job do they?

Lets see if all those lazy nurses walked out, how well the NHS would stand up

*when you are the dehydrated...

I dont think nursing staff assuming that WHEN parents are there they will do basic care for their children is an unreasonable assumption and I would also assume when parents where leaving the ward for whatever reason or length of time they would tell the staff and they could give more attention as need for "normal" things.

That said, on the ward DS is on the admission forms include asking the parents if they are happy to do day to day care, assist with giving medication etc at the same time they find out family situation and plans to stay on the ward so they can adapt things as needed.

she won't answer nursenic, because she can't

She has a grudge with nurses because sadly her care hasn't been great

But refuses to see there are so many great nurses holding up the NHS

But that type of generalisation forms many dangerous attitudes. Its like the people who believe all immigrants are lazy scroungers based on some racist, tabloid jargon.

It frightens me that people can form such unbalanced arguments

I have experienced and witnessed great nurses and hca's. But I honestly think that the % of nurses and hcas who are rude, dismissive and/or uncaring is ime just too high. I am not talking about staff being too overworked to do basic tasks. I am talking about how staff speak and relate to patients.

nursenic don't cry - I understand what you mean and where you are coming from. You really have to be in it to understand it.

I still get very upset thinking about the profession, especially as I am looking towards making plans to get out all together, as I have paid a heavy price in terms of my physical and mental health from the ongoing slog of ward nursing.

But, when you have wanted to be a nurse all your life, got into a training school you were proud of and have memories of your first day in a SN's uniform...it really hurts to see how things are now.

So much of me and my persona is "The nurse", and I was so proud when I reached a senior nursing role. The day I accepted that the system is killing nursing, and that I had no control over it, a little part of me died.

nursenic please don't get upset, I think most people really do appreciate nurses and what they do for us, for not a lot of money and even less thanks.

It's not exaggerating for me to say that the nurses I've had the pleasure of dealing with have bent over backwards to help me. They've gone above and beyond the call of duty to meet my needs, to accomodate my family, taken an interest in my DS.

Perhaps I'm lucky? At the same time, I realise that it's hard for any human being, nurse or otherwise, to maintain a sunny smile in the face of abuse and a total lack of respect.

I didn't say that.I love the NHS.I think it's fantastic.It has saved my life and that of 1 of my children.Actually I have experienced 1 bit of decent nursing care when my dd was rushed into SCBu,all went downhill when she was moved out onto a ward but in SCBU it was fab.

Fab care as I said before in theatre and in emergencies.Our GP service is fab too but sorry on wards the nursing standard I have experienced pretty much every single time is shockingly bad.

A lot of it isn't rocket science,it's basic care and I think/hope these new initiatives will address the problem which is long overdue in needing to be addressed.

Sirzy I tried to let them know I was leaving several times but there was nobody around.On returning I often couldn't get back in and actually sorry I just didn't trust them to do the job properly ie I knew as they never went near ds's bed unless giving drugs so he'd end up wetting the bed,going thirsty or would have been left to cry.

The one time I did leave him dp was there,what if you don't have a dp who can take time off or just don't have a dp?

And do you not think the good care in SCBU was partly due to the nurse-patient ratio?

One nurse to one or two patients is a whole different ball game to one nurse and twelve or more patients

Or was it that the nurse/s in SCBU were inherently nicer more caring than the ward nurses?

Err there was hardly anybody on said ward so who knows. Certainly re my son he was the only one on his ward.The nurses outnumbered him.