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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Why are nursing jobs hard to fill?

142 replies

SquishyBones · 14/07/2020 13:59

Was watching the news earlier and they were saying that they predict a lot of nurses will quit the profession once the covid lark is over. Considering we already had a nurse shortage before covid ... this could be disastrous.

I mean, nursing is one of the only professions where you’re practically guaranteed a job for life. I could quit my job tomorrow and find another within weeks. At one time, I had 3 successful job interviews and could choose which one to go for. In the community, our place is constantly advertising for band 5s but half the applicants don’t even turn up for the interview and those that do get the job and quit within months.

I remember once I landed what I considered to be an amazing, perfect job. I felt very special ... until I was told that I was the only one who applied for it 😂 I totally cocked up the interview too, I even got the name of the company wrong (called it NHS but it was actually a different company) and I hadn’t even researched what services they offer! So when they asked me I outright said “I don’t know”. Yet I got the job as they were desperate. But why is this the case?

5 years post qualifying I don’t like nursing and I don’t intend to keep doing it. The pay is shit, you are treated like shit, pay to park at work, pay for your registration every year, Constant training, constant pressure, expected to be a robot with no personal life ....

The final straw came for me when a patient ranted at me that I was selfish working part time when the NHS is in such dire need of nurses. He said I was putting myself before my patients. I corrected him and said it wasn’t for my benefit as such ... more for my dog that I don’t want to leave alone for long periods. He was fuming.

AIBU to thinking nursing and healthcare in general need to do something drastic now to shake up the system to make people actually WANT to “nurse”?

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 14/07/2020 15:47

Surely everyone who drives to work pays for parking

I don't. DP doesn't for most jobs, neither does DSis or BIL. Almost none of my work clients at dozens of factories or industrial sites across the country do. Same for people who work on most retail/leisure parks or at supermarkets or doctors and dentists surgeries with their own car park. I wouldn't have thought most people did, outside those who work on hospital sites or those who have to use commercial city or town centre car parks rather than a private works one.

It would be a huge amount of goodwill to allow a free parking pass to hospital site staff, particularly as many may be travelling a good distance and shift working, so public transport or cycling often not an option.

WhatKatyDidNxt · 14/07/2020 15:50

@SquishyBones loving that patients sense of entitlement. You working part time and why is none of his business. Im sure it’s all lovely for him working 9-5 in his office

hibbledobble · 14/07/2020 15:55

Yanbu. I work for the NHS, but not a nurse.

The NHS is a monopoly employer, so as a result are a terrible employer. They have no regard for the employees, and often violate employment laws.

I think it's a travesty that nurses no longer have their fees and living costs paid for. This is exacerbating the situation, but what is needed most is decent pay and working conditions.

WhatKatyDidNxt · 14/07/2020 16:11

@Lostmyshityear9 exactly, it’s just more control freakery by people who don’t understand the role or its demands. I did thousands of unpaid hours as a nursing student so l have already for training Hmm I’m sure a lot of people aren’t aware of the amount of shift hours needing to be done to qualify

Thirtyrock39 · 14/07/2020 16:19

I've been a healthcare assistant (band 3)for six years and would love to do the training to become a qualified nurse - what frustrates me is there is currently only really the three year degree (or two year masters) which would be very expensive for me with course fees and childcare costs . I do wish there was a bit more flexibility in the training - eg with teaching you can do a pgce in a year if you have a degree and some experience in schools. Even doing the course part tome would be a huge incentive as a mature student . I have looked at the open university route but this is stopping soon (and not very clear cut) and the nursing associate roles don't seem to guarantee a pathway to being a qualified nurse (just seem like 18 months of training to move up one pay band )
I think that there should be other routes into nursing.

Thirtyrock39 · 14/07/2020 16:19

I've been a healthcare assistant (band 3)for six years and would love to do the training to become a qualified nurse - what frustrates me is there is currently only really the three year degree (or two year masters) which would be very expensive for me with course fees and childcare costs . I do wish there was a bit more flexibility in the training - eg with teaching you can do a pgce in a year if you have a degree and some experience in schools. Even doing the course part tome would be a huge incentive as a mature student . I have looked at the open university route but this is stopping soon (and not very clear cut) and the nursing associate roles don't seem to guarantee a pathway to being a qualified nurse (just seem like 18 months of training to move up one pay band )
I think that there should be other routes into nursing.

milveycrohn · 14/07/2020 16:26

If recruitment is dire, then it can only be the working conditions or the salary.

LinemanForTheCounty · 14/07/2020 16:30

A lot of what you've said OP I think is caused by the same factor that means our healthcare provision is poor which is that it is state provision. Great idea when it was set up, at a time when people didn't live long, medical treatment was less expensive to buy and in general public sector employment conditions were favourable compared to private sector due to limited employment regulations.

However now we have a significant sector of the population who have long term conditions, medical treatment has progressed exponentially but also costs a lot and as a pp has said the drawbacks of a monopoly employer are really biting staff.

We can't fund what we need to in terms of treatment and staff renumeration from taxation alone. We also are never going to have any real accountability or transparency from a state run system. I get that people in the UK seem to feel an emotional attachment to the NHS but this model is not serving patients or staff well. Nursing staff in other countries with mixed funding models, particularly when sewn up with employment contracts to ensure coverage and compliance, have higher rates of pay and also better patient outcomes. We really need to start examining a move towards this.

I'm sorry you feel stressed and unhappy. You are working under poor employment conditions and this should not be the case.

Mmmmycorona · 14/07/2020 16:33

I applied to train to be a nurse years ago, apparently my communication skills weren’t good enough. I was and still am a beauty therapist, I talk for 11 hours a day and have communicated well enough to run a successful business for 11 years.
The mind boggles.

lazylinguist · 14/07/2020 16:35

I don’t really get the outrage about parking. Surely everyone who drives to work pays for parking?

Nope. Everywhere I've worked had free on-site parking.

OP it's a bit weird to post a thread wondering why people don't want to be nurses and then list all the reasons it's a shit job! You couldn't pay me enough to be a nurse, even with free parking! I'm a teacher and many people clearly feel the same way about teaching!

BlessYourCottonSocks · 14/07/2020 16:40

Yanbu OP. Both my DDs nurse and it's shit. I teach and it's exactly the same problems. Long hours, poor pay and conditions and the expectation that it is somehow your duty to put up with a lot of shit and extra work for the sake of the (patients) children...

We've also had massive recruitment and retention problems for years. This is going to increase thanks to the way we've been treated over Covid.

Brieminewine · 14/07/2020 16:41

@Thirtyrock39 I think they should bring back the old nursing apprenticeships for invaluable HCAs like yourself who could do the job with your eyes shut! I think it was like a part time course you did alongside reduced hours on your ward and you continued to get your normal wage. It would massively boast numbers and you know what your getting into so less likely to drop out/quit. The current set up of full time course only just isn’t feasible for some people.

WhatKatyDidNxt · 14/07/2020 16:42

I think people are missing the point about parking. Typically most nurses do shift work so may have to start at 7am or finish at 10pm. Lots of places in this country don’t have public transport at those times so nurses have to drive. It’s often not optional or a luxury. You then get crap pay which you need to pay for parking out of

VirtueClapper83 · 14/07/2020 16:45

I’m 14 years in on my nurse career. I’ll be honest here, it’s helped me pay my mortgage off, own a Porsche and have amazing holidays (most) years. I’m 37 and live with my partner who’s same age. She’s a teacher. We have no kids as is our decision in life. I completed the diploma course in 2006 when thy were offering the bursary scheme. Always been great with money and live well within our means. Was full time until about 3yrs ago then thought fuck it and dropped to part time. Still pay into NHS pension and save approx £2-3k/ month. Occasionally work agency which boosts pay to full time equivalent, probably slightly more. I’m enjoying life tbh (other than recent events obviously). Changed jobs a much less stressful one last year. I’m very fortunate but most of that is down to said life choices.

LinemanForTheCounty · 14/07/2020 16:47

Also, those extortionate parking fees just go to whichever bent firm managed to schmooze the board into giving them the contract for "providing" a car park (ie buying it at knockdown price and charging for it).

Legoandloldolls · 14/07/2020 16:49

Fees for training and degrees in any medical profession need to be scrapped.

Honestly would pay 10k ( or there abouts) to train in finance or as a nurse? What would give a better yield on your fees?

Alsohuman · 14/07/2020 16:54

@Mirrorxx

I don’t really get the outrage about parking. Surely everyone who drives to work pays for parking?
No they don’t. Hospitals are the only place I’ve ever paid to park at work. Ironically I’ve worked in non patient facing parts of the NHS - where average salaries were much higher - without parking charges. Free parking for clinical staff is the very least the NHS could do.
Babyroobs · 14/07/2020 16:57

I left after 30 years of Nursing, it has wrecked my mental health and my physical health. I do a nice job sitting down chatting to people all day now. A lot less money but I don't care. I did my time . I briefly considered going back to help with the covid crisis but actually I don't think anyone would thank me or reward me for it in the longer term.

poppydull · 14/07/2020 17:08

I don’t really get the outrage about parking. Surely everyone who drives to work pays for parking?

That's normal for me in the private sector just like I pay for my travel. The only people who I know don't pay are a GP, police officer & a teacher

Gwenhwyfar · 14/07/2020 17:09

A few reasons why I wouldn't want to be a nurse even though I don't have a career myself and I suppose it would be a step up:

  1. Hard, physical work, seems you're on your feet all the time for long hours, at least ward nurses
  2. Although the prospects are good for experienced nurses to be well paid later on, the starting salary isn't much higher than very easy office jobs where you sit down all day, take breaks when you want and finish at 5. Why would I stand up for 12 hours?
  3. Shift work is anti-social. I want to work 9-5.
  4. I don't have the personality for it, both the being at beck and call and the dealing with bodies, blood, etc.
  5. Hospitals come across as much more hierarchical than offices.
  6. The risk and responsibility. I wouldn't want someone's life in my hands or to run the risk of being struck off or even sent to prison for mistakes.
Gwenhwyfar · 14/07/2020 17:10

"Surely everyone who drives to work pays for parking?"

In their own staff car park? I didn't think it was usually paid, but I don't drive anyway.
In most of my jobs I've paid my own public transport, but not all of them.

KenzoBaby · 14/07/2020 17:11

@Babyroobs what is your nice job sitting chatting to people all day?!

Ponddering · 14/07/2020 17:15

@Thirtyrock39

I've been a healthcare assistant (band 3)for six years and would love to do the training to become a qualified nurse - what frustrates me is there is currently only really the three year degree (or two year masters) which would be very expensive for me with course fees and childcare costs . I do wish there was a bit more flexibility in the training - eg with teaching you can do a pgce in a year if you have a degree and some experience in schools. Even doing the course part tome would be a huge incentive as a mature student . I have looked at the open university route but this is stopping soon (and not very clear cut) and the nursing associate roles don't seem to guarantee a pathway to being a qualified nurse (just seem like 18 months of training to move up one pay band ) I think that there should be other routes into nursing.
You don't have to pay the course fees @Thirtyrock39 - you get a student loan these days. You'll pay it back at a tiny rate per month once qualified, you won't even notice it!
Gwenhwyfar · 14/07/2020 17:15

"I currently know one who is doing 12hr night shifts on weekends and a few 8hr night shifts during the week due to young kids - that’s utopia."

Night shifts are bad for your health, hardly utopia. For the childless I don't see any benefit to working weekends and just not having a social life.

poppydull · 14/07/2020 17:16

Also, those extortionate parking fees just go to whichever bent firm managed to schmooze the board into giving them the contract for "providing" a car park (ie buying it at knockdown price and charging for it).

Agree