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

I left nursing after working in a burns unit for 20 years and went into NHS podiatry. I'm so much happier now. I woke up one morning unable to get out of bed and thinking about committing suicide. I'm also earning a lot more money as the progression up the bands is quicker and easier and a few private patients a month double my salary. I'd never go back to nursing.

I 100% support you, the other nurses and the strike. I hope it changes things for the better.

Mum of a child with disabilities- and frequent flyer in hospital here. Thank you so much for everything you do - and also striking on our behalf to help make care safer. It absolutely boils my biscuits when the government imply the issues are caused by greedy nurses / doctors / teachers etc when in fact it is years and years of underfunding. Really shabby misrepresentation.

My baby and I needed around 2 weeks of care after she was born. I’ll never forget the round the clock care we got - my husband and I fundraise for our local hospital now. I saw just how crazy things were while I was in and I couldn’t believe how well we were looked after despite the pressure. The staff who cared for us took my breath away 💙

Better pay would help though. People are leaving nursing in droves for many reasons, one of which is because of the poor pay for the level of education, skills and responsibilities they hold. Being unable to retain staff results in poor staffing levels and ultimately leads to situations like the one that this pp discussed. Staff retention is a multifaceted issue but a level of pay which reflects modern day nursing would help.

I agree. I'm a teacher and I know the awful discourse of greedy nurses as I see it all the time in teaching as well. I think most people can see through it...

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

I agree that you should all be paid a hell of a lot more and you must have to deal with some really nasty people. But playing devils advocate I think the NHS is a victim of its own success. Keeping people alive longer than their body is really designed for will create more work. It is a conversation that is always shouted down and will never be addressed.

You rant away - I know it's cathartic.

I hear you.

I know how bad things are. I'm from the other side.
I'm a paramedic.
I can leave home at 0500 for an 0600 start, but - I can finish at 2100 or beyond, because my last patient that I took to hospital at 1400 had only just got a bed other than our very uncomfortable and unsuitable trolley bed.
Our last patient that we got to hospital at 1400 had called 999 at 0630 after falling over at home.
They have a package of care 3 times a day at 0800, 1100 and 1600 which equates to getting up, lunch and bedtime, but many people do not live like that.
Our patient, from falling, has sustained a neck of femur fracture. We know that each significant delay will directly impact our patient.
We know that a long lie at home, and/or on our ambulance trolley will result in a breakdown of your skin and possible pressure sores.
We can see you are dehydrated, but can't give you anything until you are assessed by a doctor in case you need surgery.
We know that these patients will likely die.
We hear the constant radio calls for assistance for a sick child, a 50 year old in cardiac arrest but we can't respond because we are stuck.
We are helpless to the cause.

We joined our job to help people.
At the moment, we are rarely helping anyone. We are plugging holes in an endless leaky bucket.
The finger of Blame is pointed around but lies solely with the very people that are responsible for ensuring our funding and survival.

We try and save those you love from the very people we put our ultimate trust in.

This isn't just about pay, this is about everyone who works, needs and uses the NHS.

My baby and I needed around 2 weeks of care after she was born. I’ll never forget the round the clock care we got - my husband and I fundraise for our local hospital now. I saw just how crazy things were while I was in and I couldn’t believe how well we were looked after despite the pressure. The staff who cared for us took my breath away 💙

I had the opposite. I had appalling care when my first child was born. However, I saw how busy it was, and how overworked everyone was, and can see why. It's scary. The strike needs to happen.

Thinking of a career change myself out of nursing. Can I ask how you got into podiatry? Did you undertake a postgraduate course or did you have to do the full 3/4 years?

RN here too, 25 years experience. Now private sector but many years public sector both here and abroad where I trained. And if I was able to vote to strike, I absolutely would.
The country where I trained and worked for the first 10 years of my career - nurse pay straight out of university was absolutely shit. Nobody wanted to go into nursing back then unless you basically failed at school and couldn’t get into anything else. Recruitment and retention levels were diabolical, nurses were going abroad to work or leaving in droves. We were warned as a nation of a ticking time bomb that was the aging workforce. We had the worst graduate pay in any occupational group.
Then, within a few years of getting my degree and starting out as a nurse, the union got seriously militant, nurses started industrial action by shutting beds on most wards - much to public dismay as we see here in some places, and nurses continued this on and on until they got the pay they wanted and protection in the form of protected staff to patient ratios. The changes I saw in those 10 years were enormous. My own salary went up considerably whilst being within the same banding, and the nursing workforce increased significantly as it became a more respected and attractive profession.
It can be done, but we cannot give in. Now is the time for solidarity and absolute persistence in the face of any criticism. It absolutely can be turned around but it will take a lot of pushing back, and the union must hold fast on this.
I am 💯 with you all. This strike can and will affect the entire next generation of people and will ultimately determine what kind of healthcare they - and us - will get as we age and inevitably sicken.
Please know that your work and your labour is incredibly valuable, as are you.

100% support to you all x

I'm sorry today was shit. I wish tomorrow didn't have to be shit too. And I wish the government would stop pretending that a few efficacy savings will sort it all out.

NHS Medical Laboratory Assistant here - I support you 100%.

I am in awe of paramedics. Working in a&e I've built a close bond with my paramedic colleagues. It was my dream job but as I'm type 1 diabetic I can't do it. The abuse you guys receive is awful and I hate working man or triage and seeing you out there for upwards of 8 hours looking after the patient because we can't get them in. You all do a fantastic job

Can those of you who work in the NHS explain why agency nurses are being paid 2.5k a shift or is that made up in the media?

I have a disabled DC and am continuously horrified by the wasted money and lack of efficiency in the NHS. Is it really just a question of poor funding or is the whole system broken?

Thank you so much

I'm a doctor and I totally support the nurses strike.

Behind you all the way, OP.

Totally support you and your colleagues.

Student nurse here . Dropping off my nursing degree to change my career direction. Nursing demands are too much and beyond unrealistic now. It’s very sad as I was so excited when I started, wanting to help and make a difference.

Placements are unrealistic and i cannot drive for four hours a day for a 12 hour shift to then go back and do it all again the next day , the level of stress , expectation and demand … it’s pure burnout and it’s not safe for any nurse or patient. Students aren’t supposed to be on the rota but we get put on as the nursing staff shortages. The list is endless tbh but I00% support the strike. People have no idea how bad it is :( it’s worrying what the future holds

I support all the nurses in taking this action. My husband has cancer and has had 7 surgeries, 6 weeks of radiotherapy and now a clinical drug trial; 5 different hospitals in total. All his nurses have been wonderful. Kind, helpful and there when we've needed them.
Thank you, you should be paid more.

I support you ❤️

I completely support the strike, OP (and all the other striking nurses on here).

I’m 100% behind you. You do a great job under difficult circumstances. All power to you. 💙