Just a rant from a nurse

[Bestkindaparty]

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

Fellow healthcare professional here. I support our nurses and make sure that the patients I see know that I support nurses too. I hope your next shift is better.

Big hugs from a fellow nurse! It’s so hard at the moment and there is no easy way out of this hole we are in. It’s heartbreaking. I work in research now. I’m not sure I could go back to the wards. I’m in awe of all of you still out there.

Thanks for all the support on this thread.

Support the striking nurses, rail workers, postal workers et al

The 12 hour shifts came in about 35 years ago, largely to reduce the time in the afternoon when there was a long overlap of early and late shifts so twice the staff being paid - money saving basically, although many nurses do prefer them.

So, iirc, in 1988, the early would be 7.30 - 4.15 and the late 12.30 - 9.30 (and sometimes you'd do an 'early half' and finish at 1pm which was nice!) and the night shift 9pm to 8am

Now, the day shift is 7.30 - 8.30 and the night 8pm - 8am, so only half an hour twice a day for handover (which isn't long enough so you're constantly off late even if you've managed to finish all your work in time for handover!)

Obviously varies slightly depending on where you work but that's an example.

Some people still do lates and earlies (especially if part time) and sometimes you get a random short shift if you've been doing study days or need to make up hours - if you're full time it's 37.5 hours per week and three long days or nights don't quite add up to that so some weeks you have to do an extra shift.

Glad you’ve got your wine OP 🍷 here’s to you and your colleagues and the brilliant work you do. Most people are on your side and understand it’s not all about the money (which is just as valid too though) this government want to drive our NHS into the ground by making out the problems are out of their control when it’s pure ideology. Thank you for fighting for our NHS.

My daughter uis also a nurse. She's mid 20s and a band 6 in a hospital in NW of England

She handed her notice in last week as the job is killing her. She is so stressed....rarely gets any breaks and simply cannot cope any more.
Last week ratio of one nurse to 25 patients. So desperately unsafe for nurses and patients.

Sadly patient on their ward jumped off building and committed suicide three weeks ago. The 'big boss' of hospital came to their floor asking which nurse he needed to suspend. That nurse only saved her career by having annotated that .there were not enough staff to keep patient safe. I have escalated........

A few weeks ago a nurse was strangled by a patient with an electrical lead. Luckily she survived. Security were called.....they would not deal as they said it was too dangerous
The situation is utterly horrific.

I support a pay rise 100pc

I support you and all the nurses and ambulance staff striking, 100%!

I support the nurses strike - my brother is a mental health nurse and works incredibly hard.

I haven't seen anything negative on social media at all - I'd suggest changing your friends/settings.

I hear you loud and clear OP.

I would be afraid if an Ill relative or friend was in hospital and affected but I am more afraid of what will happen if the current crisis is not addressed.

I support you fully op. Dh is a paramedic and goes through similar shit. It's really tough.

I support the strike. You deserve to be paid fairly and you and the patients deserve adequate staffing levels.

Support you 100%!!
We all know the government are trying to get us to pay and go private to line their own pockets! They need to sort this out and give nurses a proper pay rise! And ensure the correct provisions are there for the people!
The NHS needs proper funding!

I am an RN and absolutely hate anyone who refers to us as Angels! Bloody patronising.We are human beings who care about people but we are also highly qualified people who deserve to be paid a decent wage !
Our working conditions are awful and we do worry after every shift that we will loose our PIN through absolutely no fault of our own .

100% support you

A nurse outside of the NHS here. I have donated to the strike fund and fully support you all. I have friends still in the NHS and this is about so much more than pay x
The government have misread the room on this xxx

I know the comments will naturally get to you a bit OP but remember people will moan and bitch and troll about absolutely anything on socials.

The country is not against nurses or the strike, far from it. SM magnifies and sensationalises everything for clicks - much like the normal media.
The vast majority of the population understand what is needed.
Don’t let social media fool you into believing everyone is against nurses. Those who are are in the minority (even if I doesn’t feel like that when people are throwing coffee at you)

Completely support you.

Am horrified and angry it's come to it though. I wish there was an alternative way to achieve the end goal though. I'd gladly strike from my non-essential role on your behalf!

I'm with you 💯

Cannot fathom how anyone could vote yabu.

i support you 100%. You deserve so much more for the work you do. Fully behind you all

Are there mixed wards for adults and children then if you were doing cpr on a child and then called to an adult wanting a pillow ? I thought adults and paeds were separate or was this a parent that assaulted you with a hot drink?

100% behind you and all striking workers.

From what you've written a payrise seems somewhat less important than sorting out working conditions. How much more should you pay someone to make a ratio of 1:25 OK, or to make it acceptable for them to suffer an attack?

You have my support

retired nurse, been on strike and picketed several times (bc canada).
keep up the good work and report the person who threw the coffee, that's abuse. get his electronic chart documented as a dangerous patient. don't take this shit (and if you don't code charts of dangerous patients, get that started with the union and governing body) it's easily done.

I'm a teacher; DH a hospital doctor. We support you wholeheartedly. I genuinely do not know how you guys keep going, you're superhuman. Thanks for your service.