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?

Well it’s a valid question. She was an NHS worker. If we are idolising all the ‘angels’ and ‘heroes’ then his must include the bad ones?

I worked today and am working tomorrow. Also new year's day. I work for an airline. I'm not a hero. It's a job. I knew the hours when I took the job. We work whatever days the roster falls. This year I drew rhe short straw.

Just don't join in with those who think NHS workers are heroic. That should keep you happy and those who think otherwise happy. People make themselves very unhappy expecting others to have uniform opinions. Live your life and be happy.

Wow @KylieJennersMakeUpSponge. I can't articulate why I find your post about LL so needlessly inflammatory.

OP herself has acknowledged that maybe it's her reaction to social media 'look at me' posts, rather than actually not seeing nurses as worthy of appreciation for working on Christmas Day.

But you seem hell bent on picking a fight. Nurses on here have expressed a desire not to be thought of as heroes. Just to show them respect and acknowledge their worth.

But you feel the need to raise LL. Why? Do you think she is representative of NHS staff?

Well that is the total point - some people working on Xmas earn lots of money but nurses certainly don’t. As far as I am concerned, nurses are underpaid every day of the year and I appreciate them as highly trained professionals doing a tough job for insufficient reward.

I think it is pretty low to start a thread to bitch and whine about nurses getting a bit of well deserved appreciation for continuing to do a difficult job on a day many of us are kicking back with our families. Seriously- it bothers you that some of your friends say nice things about nurses?

Yes it was a low blow but when people insist ‘NHS workers are heroes/angels every day’ I find it damaging and harmful and I think it doesn’t hurt to point out why it needs to stop. People forget bad treatment by NHS workers had a very deep effect and creating a culture where no one can say a bad word against them without others having a tantrum, is seriously problematic.

I'm a nurse, and I agree with you. Though I have to say I've some truly shitty christmas days - multiple cardiac arrests in a morning, laying out bodies, no breaks, dealing with bereaved relatives. It depends what sort of ward you work on. I've certainly never thought of myself as a hero though.

FGS no one is whining because rises are getting appreciation. They’re whining - for very valid reasons - about the ‘hero’ trope and why it’s problematic.

Oh dear OP you've opened up a can of worms here.

But I know exactly what youre trying to say, and i couldn't agree with you more.

I went to the pub with my family earlier, great way to spend the afternoon, are the barstaff heroic?

@Reindeerlighthouse God, you're nice aren't you?
Considering the fact that they work in starkly understaffed conditions and with people being bloody rude to them most of the time, they are heroes!
They've never been more understaffed and people's behaviour is often obscenely rude and abusive and on top of that they mostly aren't getting paid enough!!!
The gov don't make the jobs accessible or attractive enough and by that I mean enough breaks or decent working conditions.

Indeed. Harold Shipman. The paramedics who had a conversation about whether or not to do CPR on a patient because of how overweight they were. Marine A (because I brought up the military).

Add to that the countless NHS personnel, military, police etc who just give nil shits but not enough to trigger employment sanctions or a criminal investigation.

And there lies the problem with hero worship - a good proportion of those hero NHS workers went home this evening and abused their spouses.

Apparently you’re only heroic on Christmas Day if you’ve saved a life. That’s where the ‘hero’ line is drawn 🤷‍♀️

Love this 😆

My first Xmas (1984) a child died on the ward I was working on. My second Xmas I was a student in A and E and a women with terminal cancer deteriorated suddenly and died in A and E I could go on, the young man who dies in A and E on Xmas eve on his birthday.
Ive seen numerous death but there’s something poignant about a death of any age around Xmas and although I can’t remember their names I remember them and their families and wonder what happened to them and how sad they must always be at Xmas.
Im no angel or a hero and definitely don’t want cheesy comments on Facebook or anywhere else, I’m just an aging long in the tooth nurse who cares deeply about the people I look after and their families/friends whether I’ve met them 10 mins ago or know them for months.
If you want to comment on what we and all my fellow HCPs do write to your MP and tell him or her that we are working our nuts off inn a crumbling collapsing system. That most of us are trying our very best against all odds, that’s the NHS has been consistently and deliberately deprived of the necessary funds it needs to offer high quality health care since 2010. This has created a health care system that can no longer meet the needs of everyone who uses it leaving a demoralised and frustrated work force.

My sister works for the NHS and she is the most compassionate and caring person I know. She is working night shift in the community tonight nursing dying patients. People like her are heroes every single day not just Christmas Day

A hero is for life not just for christmas

Where did I say I take issue with some of my friends saying nice things about nurses?

No they are whining because nurses are getting appreciation - that was the central point of the OP, that nurses were getting bigged up for working Xmas day.

I think nurses should be bigged up every day of the year and paid a shit tonne more - especially for nursing some of the ungrateful whiners on this thread.

Wow just wow

That is the central premise of the OP.

In all honesty, I can't be bothered with all this idolisation of the NHS and it's employees. Some are fantastic, some are good, some are mediocre, some are crap. Working nights and holidays is part of the deal.

Would the cabbies on hospital runs because they're quicker than ambulances count I wonder.

OPs initial post is an illustration of the sacred cow the NHS has become, we are hero worshipping people for doing the jobs and working the hours that they are renumerated to do. Conditions and packages we can debate separately but we carry on like the entire NHS staff have guns held to their heads constantly and all are working there against their will, it really doesn't sit right with me.

Ragging on hardworking nurses while you enjoy your Christmas getting off your face. You're not exactly a beacon on humanity.

YANBU. The lionisation of doctors and nurses in this country is unhelpful and hinders NHS reform. And invites people to call it a 'vocation', when it's a job. There are plenty of other jobs deserving of praise who don't get it.

Nurses, doctors and all NHS workers are heroes to me . Never mind if they are working on Christmas Day .
lets face it they don’t get paid well . They have a tough job and without them we would all be screwed .

yea they are rostered on to work Christmas Day . So are many others .but my god I am thankful to NHS workers who are working today .

I won’t split hairs over the word hero. Just bloody thankful.