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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Just a rant from a nurse

420 replies

Bestkindaparty · 17/12/2022 20:42

I know there's a 101 threads about the nursing strike. But I just need an anonymous forum to rant.
I left home at 6am this morning and I'm only just getting home. I need a shower because someone threw their hot coffee over me because I didn't answer their buzzer fast enough and they needed a pillow. I didn't answer it quick enough because I was performing cpr on a child with suspected strep A. 12 hours into my shift without a break because we just don't have the staff.
All week on Facebook tiktok and other social media all I've seen is how disgusting us nurses are. How people will die because of the strikes all because we want more money.
Yes we want to paid fairly. We do not get paid enough for the training we do. 2300 hours of unpaid work and then other 3000 hours of uni. Plus all the responsibilities we have. Some people think we're just doctors assistants but its not like that anymore. But the main reason is we're tired of fearing for our pins (that we pay a yearly fee for) we're tired of not being able to care for people the way we want because there's not enough staff. The ratio is supposed to be 1 to 3. I can't remember when I've had less than 8 patients. We want to protect the NHS. We need people to join and to retain current staff who are leaving in droves due to burnout. What happens when there's none of us left?
We had no option but to strike. Nothing else has worked. We want to protect ours and everyone's future. Personally I don't want to cry on every drive to and from work because I'm scared someone will die due to me not being able to give the care they need.
If you've got this far thanks for reading

OP posts:
missingeu · 19/12/2022 13:45

Fellow nurse, sorry you had an awful day.

My trust didnt strike, I wish it had. It's lovely to ready so many people are in support of nurses and that's what I intend to focus on.

Blossomtoes · 19/12/2022 13:49

Not much solidarity in your neck of the woods, is there @Fluffycloudland77? if you hate the NHS so much perhaps you should work somewhere else.

midgetastic · 19/12/2022 13:50

The nhs isn't doomed to fail

It worked pretty well for many decades whilst funded and respected

This is about more than pay - pay seems much worse when you are doing 2 peoples worth of work

Badbadbunny · 19/12/2022 13:58

I've been discussing this with my OH, who's been having long term chemotherapy (along with regular x-rays, scans, blood tests, infusions, etc) over the past five years. He's literally in a hospital every week for something, sometimes 2 or 3 times in a week!

He says the actual nurses themselves (i.e. qualified nurses) have been generally brilliant and he's only come across the occasional one who hasn't been. He's been in so often, he knows the uniforms etc! In particular, his allocated cancer specialist nurse truly is a credit to her profession although he barely sees her, she's the one who sorts out all the problems he has (which are far too frequent, but that's not her fault!). He is always reluctant to leave her a phone message, but it's usually out of frustration that no one else deals with problems, and she always sorts it out! He feels guilty that she's the one he complains to and always apologises to her whenever he calls, but no one else seems to care! The nurses in the day treatment centre where he has his regular infusions are also brilliant he says!

Who he says are the problem is the HCAs, administrators, receptionists, etc. He says that probably half the time, they don't do what they say they will, botch up blood tests, get appointments wrong (they have to be synchronised), are late with issuing prescriptions, don't pass on messages, etc. It's his allocated nurse who always has to pick up the pieces! He can understand why she'd be frustrated and overworked, but it's not the patient at fault, it's the "support" staff who cause the problems.

Clavinova · 19/12/2022 14:05

Stupid auto correct -
I have decided to vote YABU
emphasise her point

Fluffycloudland77 · 19/12/2022 14:22

Blossomtoes · 19/12/2022 13:49

Not much solidarity in your neck of the woods, is there @Fluffycloudland77? if you hate the NHS so much perhaps you should work somewhere else.

Already out.

I’m equally scathing of members of my profession who cause harm to patients. They have such faith in us & it’s not always deserved.

Nurses were complaining about pay and condition when I was little & they’ll be complaining about it in the future too. Nothing will change. If the care you provide is of band 5 quality you will only be worth band 5.

Dhs cardiac ANP on the other hand was very knowledgeable and sharp as a tack. His ENT ANP, thick as two short planks, a bully, unprofessional and generally a stressy flappy nightmare of a woman god knows how she had a role requiring an MSC.

Prinnny · 19/12/2022 14:53

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Truly spoken like someone who hasn’t got a fucking clue, may you continue to live in happy ignorance while we deal with shit you couldn't even begin to comprehend.

Aintnosupermum · 19/12/2022 17:04

I’m in the US and reading the news about strep throat is horrifying.

When my child came down with a nasty virus and was burning up over 41C, she was seen by her doctor that afternoon. The nurse came in and tested her for covid, strep and flu. She tested negative for all 3. Doctor came in and prescribed steroids to help her breathing. Copay was $10 and prescription was $5 at Walmart.

Most importantly there was no panic, no A&E visit, the required tests were on hand. The OP shouldn’t be seeing a child in A&E for strep throat because the test is so simple and inexpensive. The fact that these tests are not available in schools and GP surgeries blows my mind. That is how badly the NHS is managed and potentially inadequately funded. I do believe funding is inadequate because the percentage of GDP spent on healthcare is significantly below what other European countries spend. I recall the last numbers to be 6-7% of GDP in the UK and 10-12% in the EU. The US is at about 15% of GDP but you do get excellent care.

CSJ113 · 19/12/2022 17:26

I'm a HE professional married to a hospital consultant. We 100% support the striking nurses. Your job has become intolerable. My elderly Mum was a nurse and when in hospital recently couldn't believe how hard it had become, and how short staffed they were (yet she still received excellent care).

Unfortunately me and OH believe the govt know EXACTLY what they are doing and that ultimately Doctors and Nurses will be the scapegoats when the NHS is inevitably privatised.

Blossomtoes · 19/12/2022 17:53

The US is at about 15% of GDP but you do get excellent care.

Don’t you also have to get your excellent credit card or insurance details out to pay for it?

Rubystyles · 19/12/2022 18:20

It’s a relief you are out @Fluffycloudland77 you sound so bitter. This is about the bigger picture not about your limited personal experiences.
There are a lot of fantastic Band 5 nurses across the NHS- have you met them all to state they deserve the pay they get for being a Band 5?

This isn’t a war between other healthcare professionals so it’s really weird you’ve made that an argument.

The only people to blame for the disgraceful state of the NHS are the Conservatives who have purposely ran it in to the ground.

The ambulance service staff strike this week, what the hell will it take for the Government to wake up? If anyone suffers because of the strikes, the Government are the only ones accountable.

Clavinova · 19/12/2022 18:29

Prinnny
Truly spoken like someone who hasn’t got a f.....g clue, may you continue to live in happy ignorance while we deal with shit you couldn't even begin to comprehend

I do have a clue which is why I acknowledged that the anecdote might be representative rather than the actual truth. What difference does it make if the patient receiving cpr in the opening post was a child or an adult, other than for emotional appeal? Similarly, the reference to strep A. Would the coffee throwing incident be acceptable if the patient receiving cpr was 76 and a heavy smoker? Of course not. I still think the op has acted unprofessionally with her social media post when parents are particularly worried about strep A.

Prinnny · 19/12/2022 19:02

@Clavinova you think speaking your truth is unprofessional? You should be in the Tory party love.

Prinnny · 19/12/2022 19:06

@Clavinova and what is your ‘clue’, what role do you play frontline in the NHS? What knowledge do you have to try and discredit the OP for mentioning strep A? As in my trust resus overnight had two children too unwell to be moved requiring airway support, and as I mentioned unthread my friends toddler died as a result of strep A last week, but pray tell us why my first hand experience is ‘unprofessional’?

Fluffycloudland77 · 19/12/2022 19:09

@Rubystyles, no we have personal responsibility in how we treat patients.

Ive been in healthcare 23 years, I’ve seen things Joe Public hasn’t. You think I’ve never been assaulted? Verbally abused, sexually assaulted, held hostage in a clinic by a recently released man? I didn’t lower the standard of care for the next patient though.

They don’t get a sainthood with their PIN numbers. The care they provide is lower than the public know. More than one nurse shut the door and left when my dh tracheostomy blocked with plugs of blood because they “have patients who are actually ill” to look after while he was dying of cancer, had pneumonia & covid.

It’s exasperating just how bad they are. The theatre recovery nurses were actually switched on.

We’re a healthcare family too, got everything from professors to student nurses.

bakebeans · 19/12/2022 19:17

Nurse here. I left a&e 5 years ago and it was bad then. Patients waiting 12 +++ hours for a bed and yet more a&e's were closed throughout the Uk and councils stopped key services to those in need in the community. Probably thought our population is shrinking.
I was sick to death of being abused daily. Going home to my children in tears causing them upset because my mental health could no longer cope! Why should they be upset and affected?
what the public don't realise is more and more nurses and doctors are leaving for this reason and instead the government are doing nothing but trying to rally the media against us! All we got was bloody claps!

Odessafile · 19/12/2022 19:22

If the care you provide is of band 5 quality you will only be worth band 5.
What on earth is that supposed to mean ? * *@Fluffycloudland77
Band 5 quality care ? Says someone clearly without a clue and I doubt ever a nurse.

Odessafile · 19/12/2022 19:27

@Fluffycloudland77 do you regard all professions in the same way. Bad dental experience so all dentists are crap. Estate agent lied so they are all liars.Tells me someone else is thick as two planks (as you yourself called someone) and have a rather sad bitter and borderline misogynistic outlook.

Aintnosupermum · 19/12/2022 19:27

@Blossomtoes

My medical coverage costs about 10% of my income. I have 3 children, 2 with autism. What people don’t understand in the UK is that we pay less taxes but buy our own healthcare either through our employer or independently. Obamacare made it more expensive for families supporting disabilities, not cheaper. Most families with disabilities like what my children have use Medicaid. New York State covers the child no matter what the parent income is. I am in Texas and the coverage is much stricter. I also use a private therapeutic school for my son which I pay for myself. It’s $25k, which is a bargain for what he gets. The fundraising is another level compared to what you see in the UK and the cost of each place is closer to $80k. Donations are deducted from income, reducing my taxes paid. The school fees are considered medical expenses so if more than 7.5% of income, the household will get the excess deducted from their income on their tax return.

Wages are much higher in the US compared to the UK. You buy your own education and healthcare. My children are seen by a pediatrician which has been great. They spotted my son having autism and got him into the state program quickly. They helped me get him assessed. Our daughter also has autism and they have been very good at getting us into the right programs recommended by the specialists.

If you threw something at an employee at a hospital it would not be tolerated. Security would be involved very quickly. I was asked for my child’s insurance card, which enabled the hospital to download his medical records. I was sent a bill in the mail for the copay.

The US system isn’t what I think is best for the UK, but there are aspects of it which are great and we should look to copy. The IT system used for medical notes and prescriptions is excellent.

Garysmum · 19/12/2022 19:35

I think the NHS employed medical professionals are often asked / force to work under untenable conditions.
There are many excellent nurses in the profession and as with all professions there will be some who are not so good - maybe they can't prioritise well. maybe they are worn-down and some will not have empathy.

Nurses should be paid more. It is clear from Labour's comments though that there aren't the funds to meet the pay demands without taking cash from other areas of the NHS which could have serious consequences. So the Goverment needs to put more funds into the NHS - where do these come from with existing tax take? If you give nurses a payrise you can't give a payrise to teachers or firefighters for example? Who do you prioritise?
In my book health is the number 1 priority as without health we have no quality of life.
So as far as I can see we are going to have to have tax rises to pay for public sector payrises. Or we have to look at another model of funding the NHS - perhaps a £5 charge per appointment (imagine the admin around the exceptions for this - would this cost more than it would raise?)
I'm not seeing any answers sadly but I'm no economics guru. But I do wonder if people were to value the NHS more - not on an individual level but generally and people took more care of their own health long term, that would help.
I can't see a future for the NHS that doesn't involve restructuring and or a change to how its funded.

Fluffycloudland77 · 19/12/2022 19:42

This reply has been deleted

Felt deliberately inflammatory

Member869894 · 19/12/2022 19:46

Have I got this right? Most nurses work 3 hellish 12 hour shifts but then have four daus off a week?

MrsHerculePoirot · 19/12/2022 19:52

100% support here too.

Rubystyles · 19/12/2022 20:07

Ahhh and there it is! @Fluffycloudland77 you're a Tory. Says everything about your posts!!

Btw, you didn’t hit a nerve with me. I feel bad for you. You are so, so bitter. Wow, how do you get through a day? You’re right with one thing though, Thank god you’re not a nurse! God help any pts you looked after with your attitude 😂😳

bakebeans · 19/12/2022 20:11

Fluffycloudland77 · 19/12/2022 19:09

@Rubystyles, no we have personal responsibility in how we treat patients.

Ive been in healthcare 23 years, I’ve seen things Joe Public hasn’t. You think I’ve never been assaulted? Verbally abused, sexually assaulted, held hostage in a clinic by a recently released man? I didn’t lower the standard of care for the next patient though.

They don’t get a sainthood with their PIN numbers. The care they provide is lower than the public know. More than one nurse shut the door and left when my dh tracheostomy blocked with plugs of blood because they “have patients who are actually ill” to look after while he was dying of cancer, had pneumonia & covid.

It’s exasperating just how bad they are. The theatre recovery nurses were actually switched on.

We’re a healthcare family too, got everything from professors to student nurses.

You are calling band 5 nurses and yet the student nurses in your family will be qualifying at band 5 level. Are they shit too then?

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