To think NHS workers aren’t ‘hero’s’ for working Christmas Day?!

[Reindeerlighthouse]

Just that. I have quite a few Nurses on my friend’s lists on social media and a few of them have posted today about how they’ve been working. Que loads of ‘omg, you’re an absolute angel’ ‘omg, you’re a true hero lovely’ type comments on all of their posts.

Am I being dim? They’ve been rostered on, they’re just doing their jobs on a day they’ve been rota’d onto, why are they ‘hero’s’ for that? It’s literally their job. I’m not saying their job doesn’t deserve credit because it absolutely does, but I’m sure if they’d have refused to work Christmas Day they’d have been facing disciplinary action?

My husband has worked the last 5 Christmas days (not medical related) no one has ever said he’s a hero for working it.

AIBU to think ti really doesn’t make them a hero? Just people doing their jobs on a day they’ve been told to do it?

jasflowers

I agree with everything you've said about what they actually do and have to deal with.

But I don't like the use of the word 'heroes' for many reasons.

Another nurse here. I've not been qualified for long so I don't have years of history of nursing over Christmas. I have experience of hospitality though so I do know what it's like to miss family time during a time when many other employees have a good amount of time off.
But I've never considered myself a hero. It's just part of the job. However it is nice to feel appreciated and for people to say thank you.

But this thread is about someone posting on their sm that they're working on Xmas day, and some friends then commenting that they're heroes.

So I don't think you need to worry too much about the undermining of the medical profession as a whole really.

Personally I think most pp are just irked to see someone being paid a compliment but can't admit that without sounding like dicks so dress it up as faux concern for the NHS.

Those who call NHS workers 'selfless' and 'angels' are presumably the same ones who enjoyed all that cheering and loud saucepan banging during COVID? I think it's quite sweet but indicative of rather simplistic thinking and a preference of simple concepts, easily understood.

DH and I were at university with plenty of student doctors and nurses, and several are still good friends to this day. Trust me they're not angels. They're just other human beings who knew exactly what their chosen profession entailed. They have been known to complain bitterly and often about certain patients, in far from angelic language 😆😆😆

Please can people use the correct grammar of 'heroes' and not 'hero's'? It's really not that difficult. Or maybe it is.

Am I being dim?

Yes. You work in marketing, which is any airy fairy job (like mine) that shuts down over Christmas.

You have no concept of that it means to work on Christmas Day when most people are off.

Someone who works in marketing should really know how to spell it.

Nurses are the last people some people will ever see for end of life care or medical emergencies.

I'm grateful they can do this and want to or even have to right now.

Yes maybe the people telling op's sm friend that they were a hero were guilty of simplistic thinking and pan banging.

But that's better than starting this mean spirited thread about it I think.

Well, no you were not. As I said, if you’re going to correct someone, the very least you can do is ensure your correction is, in fact, correct. Hahahaha

Quite. But I'm very relieved that the cheery saucepan bashers aren't likely to be the people operating on me in theatre.

Live a month in NHS workers shoes OP and then tell me they are not heroes. The pay is pitiful, the hours are longer than the shift is supposed to be. They risk serious infection and illness to treat our families and friends. It's mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting. I think you're being a bit of a dick.

I can't believe this thread.

Someone who enters into a career for saving other peoples lives. Giving up Christmas, Easter, every other holiday because they want to save peoples lives or make things comfortable for people who are dying or very ill or not very ill. Yes they will be paid for it but the mental strain must be fucking immense. And the guilt of white couldn't save.

No they are not perfect but fuck me they still chose this. We should fucking cherish the ones we have left. Good, bad, miserable, arsey or whatever. We have no other choice. The nhs is on its fucking knees.

Nice post😬

Just thinking why don't you ask one of the nurses on here if you could shadow them as a volunteer for a few weeks and then you might understand how hard they work you miserable person

Cherish people I don’t know?! Fuck that for a game of soldiers!

Some of that happens precisely because of the heroes, angels, vocation, 'calling' rhetoric.

It silences people.against speaking out about it.

It's hard to speak out against the injustice or touching things when the narrative surrounding it is that you selflessly and tirelessly give without thought for yourself because what are you saying about yourself/allowing to happen if you are the one saying, "Hang on a minute, do you know what? I havent been for a wee since 5 but its ok because i havent had a drink since 4. Anyway, my shift ended an hour ago. I'm off!"?

To change not touching.

Please look up the difference between hero’s and heroes.

I think the doctor and nurse who came to see my Dad last night to start his end of life care plan were our heroes.

You are very mean

Oh well, if I’m mean so be it. We live in such a snowflake, airy fairy world now. Heaven forbid you should say anything remotely negative about anyone or anything. It’s all #bekind or nothing.

I have REPEATEDLY said on this thread that I absolutely DO appreciate our health professionals, people have deliberately taken my post out of context. This isn’t a post to criticise healthcare workers per se, it’s simply questioning whether they really are ‘sooo amazing’ for working Christmas Day when the majority, if they could get away with it, wouldn’t do it if they weren’t contractually obliged.

Why people have run with the narrative that I’m an absolute bitch who hates the NHS and its workers, well, it’s typical MN drama llama.

I’m a midwife, and definitely don’t want to be seen as any kind of hero. Becoming a midwife was my choice and my calling in life, just as we all have an important role to play in the world. I didn’t work this Christmas, but I’ve worked many. Some of my best Christmases have been welcoming new life into the world on Christmas Day, and serving a slightly questionable - but better than toast- Christmas dinner. 😬
Lots of people work on Xmas day- my local McDonald’s was even open! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I haven’t even read the replies, but speaking for myself as a midwife, I’m not a hero if I work on Christmas Day- I’m just doing the job I signed up for which isn’t a Monday to Friday 9-5. 😅 none of my nursing or midwife friends want to be seen as heroes and none of us enjoyed the clapping during 2020 either. 😁

That doesn't make what they do any less amazing, regardless of the injustice. In fact I think it makes them more amazing.

No but if people stopped with the 'hero worship' maybe people would feel they had more of a voice and some of those issues could be addressed.

When people tell you you're a hero just for doing your job it makes it a lot harder to say, "no. I'm not doing that."

“Oh well, if I’m mean so be it. We live in such a snowflake, airy fairy world now. Heaven forbid you should say anything remotely negative about anyone or anything. It’s all #bekind or nothing.”

Didn’t your mother ever tell you if you have nothing nice to say don’t say anything? That old adage is true- your post really is a mean-spirited thing to go to the effort of posting about at Christmas.