To wonder if the nurses strike will affect caesarean deliveries?

[Tor2022]

I'm booked for a planned caesarean on the 2nd March, but I've just seen that there will be a nurses strike. I obviously support them getting a better pay deal, but didn't know whether this would mean my date would be changed and it be emergencies only over the strike dates? (I can't recall whether it was nurses or midwives who are present in theatre)

Some places do have theatre nurses but many places do have midwives who can scrub for theatre or they can use ODPs etc. I learned to scrub in as a student midwife. They will make it work. Certainly night shifts we never used to have nurses on for emergencies, it was always midwives.

I am guessing it will affect it if it's a selective procedure. I hope not though. I guess you could ask your midwife? Or whoever has been guiding you and helping you through your pregnancy. Good luck. 😘

@Iwouldlikesomecake thank you, this is really useful to know x

where do you live? Not all parts of the uk are affected

I had a c section the day after the strikes. My local trust wasn’t striking and it was fine. Worth checking

I believe in England not enough midwives voted to strike. So depends whereabouts you are.

@Muchtoomuchtodo thanks, reminded me to check www.rcn.org.uk/Get-Involved/Campaign-with-us/Fair-Pay-for-Nursing/Strike-hub/Strike-locations it is one of the hospitals due to strike.

I had a junior doctor do my last caesarean and I think that they may be striking too (but they might not, their ballot result is not in yet, due in on 20th feb... and I think they need to give 14 days warning... so that would be the 6th March at the earliest)...

They will place ODPs in the theatre and recovery rather than nurses. Operating Department Practioners aren't nurses.

@nocoolnamesleft yes, midwife said that they weren't, but couldn't recall who was in theatre (midwives or nurses), @Iwouldlikesomecake said that many places have midwives do it

Midwives aren't striking, however the anaesthetic nurses that work alongside the anaesthetist may well so it is possible there could be delays. That would be the case even if midwives scrub for c-sections in your trust (as mine do). It is hard to say as not all hospitals/areas are affected and there are other variables involved.

@SomethingAboutNothing are Anaesthetic nurses like ODPs? (Didn't know if ODPs were part of nursing staff or separate)

ODPs are totally different... but do the same job. Essentially they are a nurse who can only work in theatres but aren't responsible to the NMC.

We are using ODPs on all strike days.

They do a similar job but have different training (is my understanding). And that's a good point as to whether ODP's would be striking - possibly not. But those that are nurse trained likely would be.

ODPs aren't striking.

Really useful information everyone, thank you x

ODPs are Operating Department Practioners, who learn how to work in the three main areas of theatre (Anaesthetics, Scrub, Recovery) during their training. ODPs can work in some other area too, like ICU. Nurses can work anywhere in theatre with on the job training, but they need to take an extra university course to be able to work in anaesthetics. In my experience anyway.

In my hospital, all the theatre staff are "Theatre Practioners" on their ID, so you can't tell who is a nurse and who is an ODP, but doesn't really matter.

Midwives aren’t striking.

It shouldn’t have any effect.