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?

Would people die if your DH didn’t go to work, or would a business lose money or security? I think the difference lies there.

I think that you under estimate how difficult the job is
i am out of the house for 14.5hrs
Some days I work 3 or 4 of these shifts in a row
I do it because not only is this my job and this is expected of me but because I enjoy it
it doesn’t change the fact however that it is hard especially at this time of the year when most people get Xmas and or new year off to spend with their families
Its hard mentally and physically
Some days I don’t even know how long I can do it for so have a little bit of compassion

Yes, okay. I’ve had a few wines so you’ll have to excuse the grammar.

I work in marketing so not at all a ‘worthy’ cause, but if I had to work on Christmas Day (which I have done in the past in a previous job) I wouldn’t expect to be called amazing for it.

A nurse/NHS bashing thread on Christmas day. Classy.

But that’s the same everyday of the year. I’m not denying their jobs are vital and worthy, but people don’t fall over themselves to say they’re amazing the rest of the year. Like a PP said, would you call a shop worker amazing for working Christmas Day?

What harm does it do to be kind and say nice things about people who are doing a difficult job
on Christmas Day. I don’t think you know the amount of pain, death and misery nurses carry for their patients over Christmas. Would you really deny them a word of kindness or a bit of encouragement.

As a ex nurse who has spent many Christmas’a away from family and friends.
I can say that it has a lasting effect on relationships. A kind word can make all the difference

I try and give words of kindness to anyone in a difficult situation whether I think it’s true or not because we know that compassion and kindness breads compassion and kindness and keeps up motivation and morale. So maybe they are not “hero’s” but a kind word never did anyone any harm. If you don’t like the word hero just use something else.

I was in A and E with a loved one and was so touched by the kindness and professionalism of the nurses and doctors. I also was impressed when I went in April, but Christmas is a harder day both to be in hospital as a patient and to be working away from your family and I appreciated it even more!

Exactly, how low can some people stoop! Find something better to do with your day OP.

I work in marketing

Christ, I was expecting it to be something a bit evil but not marketing.

I just sang that 😆

I work for the emergency services, it requires me to work Xmas day and so on. No one will ever call me a hero for my job (although maybe if people understood they would be more complimentary). I don’t begrudge nurses being called hero’s for doing it. Working on Christmas Day is a chore, especially if you have little kids who are missing you at home.

Oh give over, I’ve stated multiple times on this thread that I know they deserve appreciation. I just don’t get why they get so much recognition for working Christmas Day over other professions that have to work Christmas Day.

The NHS fawning in MN is like no other.

I agree, I think, or at least a bit.. Maybe there’s an element of looking for attention if they post to social media…? I know quite a few nhs workers, who are all wonderful for choosing the careers they did - but they all went to their usual Monday shift without needing any pomp for doing so.
I do feel for anyone who needs to work on Christmas, it’s my favourite day of the year and working would make me so sad. So anyone working today is remarkable! I’ll not say hero because I hate that word 😂

I agree. They are pretty amazing for what they do, however I don’t think they are extra special for doing it on Christmas Day.

My husband is police, and put himself in harms way on Christmas staying away from his family so he could keep "yours" safe.

He's a fucking hero!!

NHS staff are dealing with people who can't be with their loved ones, and stepping in to give them care and time rather than being with their own families. They are also hero's, its not an easy job and I imagine for patients and staff alike it's harder on xmas day even just emotionally.

I think the thing is that some jobs are just more important to the public than others. If you were working in a corporate business on Christmas Day - well, who are you benefiting? Yourself and the Big Cheese at your company. No one cares.

But doctors and nurses are making a huge difference to a load of people when they work Christmas Day. They probably wouldn’t choose to do it, even if it’s double pay - so they are making a sacrifice.

I’m not a nurse btw, nor are any of my immediate family. I’m a teacher - in a private school, to add insult to injury! So I never work any of the bank holidays…

Disagree that they HAVE to - NHS shift workers could work a different job that doesn’t require them to sacrifice such valuable time with
friends and family - they don’t have to stick with a (super tough and fairly thankless) career path. This is why everyone is leaving.

They’re highly trained professionals who could make more money for less effort but choose not too - that’s what makes them heroes

I really do very much object to any hero-isation (yes I made that word up) of NHS workers. Especially blanket statements of “they’re heroes every day”.

That’s seriously unhelpful to the many, many people who get shit service, are hurt and abused and mistreated by HCPs. Women especially - and especially in mate ItThis care at all levels - are treated worse than dogs, and we can’t blame the Tories for EVERY bad thing that happens in the NHS. ‘The NHS’ is actually a collection of humans and some of those humans are shit. I’m still traumatised for being in excruciating agony in labour telling them the baby was coming out now, to be laughed at and then told off for pushing - when I was right all along and if they’d actually just trusted and listened to me, I wouldn’t have had a very distressful 3rd degree tear. The women who let that happen are not heroes, they’re shit and working on Christmas wouldn’t make them a hero. In a more extreme example, in a Trust in Cumbria a woman was chosen to death having a tube inserted int he wrong place. She was a healthy young woman there for a routine op, and she died. I’m not saying ALL NHS workers are like this but neither are all heroes.

Anyway YANBU. Police, garage workers, pub workers, emergency service staff, firefighters - they’re just people in a job who are working to the terms and conditions they knowingly signed up for. And it’s a choice - there’s plenty of HCP roles in the NHS that don’t require Christmas workingZ

Yep. I know a midwife who changed roles to work in skin clinics. She wanted a 9-5 Mon-Fri job.

I’m with you OP. Nurses do a great job- but it’s one they’ve chosen. It’s a job like any other and lots of people choose it because it feels more meaningful than tax accountancy.

Dare I say it, but it’s one of the realities that you work weekends. I used to work in a role that involved working Xmas day. Frankly, it was great - double time, and fun atmosphere at work.

It’s good to know that people are prepared to work on holidays, but it’s hardly heroic.

you could say the same for shop assistants working Boxing Day…you couldn’t pay me enough to do that! ( well maybe a million quid!)

God you sound a miserable git.

It's not a nurse bashing thread

It's simply pointing out, it's not heroic to work your rostered shift

They knew this was something that would happen when they signed up for the job - like many emergency workers, repair people, care assistants and so on

And before you jump on me, haven't seen DS again as he's working in the hospital, nor DF as she's a cleaner in a care home

This is also why I have a problem with hero-isation. It’s often a tool used by leaders and politicians to express undying gratitude on lieu of paying HCPs more.

They get paid time and a half. The majority don't do the twelve hour shift on the festive season. There's a Rota and it's done fairly the majority of the time. They are not heros, perhaps a bit burnt out from 2022 onwards but they often get a few boxes of chocolates to keep them going.