To think this letter from NHS is pathetic?

[MozzchopsThirty]

I no longer work in the clinical area so I have nice gel nails. They are not long or talon like, they are short, neat and usually neutrally coloured.

A few weeks ago I did a shift on my old ward (ITU) and my old ward manager noticed them and asked me to remove them, I explained that I couldn't and she said it was unprofessional and I was setting a bad example!

Now to give some perspective on that shift there were 3 other agency workers from a particular agency who charge approx £400 per shift. I get about £140.
I cared for one patient, gave care as I always would, adhered to hand hygiene and wore gloves for clinical tasks

I've now recieved a letter stating that my conduct was unprofessional and that gel nails must not be worn in the clinical area

Now whilst I appreciate this, and when working in clinical area I never had nails, I can't believe the WM has alerted the temp staff office and they've written to me.

I'm now faced with the choice of removing nails for the sake of one shift every 1-2 months or stop working there and the NHS pay someone else £400 to do my shifts
That's £260 extra for the sake of nails

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Exactly AuntieDee however I do for the main part love nursing. Nurses don't generally get paid anywhere near as much as the other medical type degrees, like physio, OT for example.

I can see nursing becoming less attractive I have more paperwork than ever and take on more clinical roles, I barely assist a patient to wash or go to the toilet now, I miss those nursing days when you could get to really know your patients. Without healthcare assistants we would be lost.

Totally true sparky! Physios, OT and lab staff (like me) it is much easier to move up to a band 6 post.

Clinical staff or not, you're still an NMC registrant and therefore are bound to the Code which stipulates you must "keep to and promote recommended practice in relation to controlling and preventing infection."

I was told recently that the university entry requirements are now so high for nursing it is putting a lot of people off training

Maybe you should have a look because in my eyes they aren't high

I'm with Grays on that one! They're really not.

I have had a look recently I am a sign off mentor and our affiliated university stipulates A level entry grades A & B this was from the mouth of one of the university lecturers. This particular university has the highest entry requirements because as you know they can choose.

I'm not saying nurses don't need high level training I'm just saying some people who would make excellent nurses are unable to access the training, it's not all about academic qualities. Some skills you can't teach.

That's one university. A lot are still accepting Btecs. And others welcome mature students as long as they can show evidence of recent study (which can even be an open uni module).
For anyone struggling I would recommend the access course. A lot of the students and even qualified nurses at my hospital did them and they said it really prepared them for a degree course, and even then the university eases them in to the academic world with starting modules on how to write essays, how to research, reference etc.

"Nurses don't generally get paid anywhere near as much as the other medical type degrees, like physio, OT for example."

Not true. They all start on a Band 5, just as nurses do. In some posts, they may reach a band 6 quicker, but that's the same for certain areas of nursing too. They also don't do as many unsociable hours, so don't get that in their pay packets either.

Nor do I see the objection to nursing being all-graduate entry. Other professions, such as physiotherapy, radiography, OT, etc all made the same transition and I don't see them as leagues above nurses. Also, nurses were doing diplomas anyway, the difference between that and a degree is not vast.

It irks me when nurses do themselves down. Even more then non-adherence to uniform policy does.

Grays I know a university (won't name it) that allows a foundation degree to nursing but you have to have been out of education for 5years minimum and they don't accept people who have A levels - GCSEs only!

OP, are you seriously an ITU nurse? For real? Because no ITU nurse I've ever encountered would be stupid enough post in AIBU re friggin' false nails!!! You should know better.

YABU. Mackerelofact makes a very good point.

Nurses don't generally get paid anywhere near as much as the other medical type degrees, like physio, OT for example

Yes we do. We're all on agenda for change pay scales. They're banded just the same as we are.

I meant to add, yabu OP. Nail polish, gel or otherwise isn't allowed. A letter home may be a bit much, but it would be a shame for ITU to lose an experienced nurse so maybe just do bank when you have the gel removed?