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The forgotten Community Nurses

8 replies

8thplace · 23/03/2020 15:43

As all health workers we've had a shocking stresful surreal few weeks with no end in sight and increasing sickness and demands on our time. We are are exhausted, anxious, worried about about our patients and families health and futures.

After weeks to plan and prepare for this my managers and her managers and the highest health board managers have come to the conclusion that there is no more PPE available for the foreseeable t and they want us to wear the same flimsy non regulation face mask, 1 per shift, so taking on and off the same mask for each patient many times per day. Dont worry though, they will be giving us all a plastic wallet to keep it in between visits and in the car!

This is so not acceptable. I think its dangerous, morally wrong, and perhaps illegal. Im worn out and crying. I cant go on. Ive cancelled my leave to work this week and probably wont get it back. They arnt looking after us. Pity the poor care agency workers, probably having an even worse time than us.

The NHS is not even trying to look after us. All these wonderful generous free coffees and free macDonalds can get stuffed.

I want adequate PPE to protect my very vunerable shielding patients, my colleagues, my family and myself.

OP posts:
8thplace · 23/03/2020 16:29

Well thanks for all the support guys!! Not one response. Tells me all I need to know...what happened to be kind etc????

Great that many of you more interested in threads about supermarket slots or macdonalds closing.

Perhaps Im in the wrong place here

OP posts:
Frigginella · 23/03/2020 16:34

Same boat here. Don’t know what to say

Imapotato · 23/03/2020 16:36

That’s terrible. You shouldn’t be wearing the same PPE for different patients! Surely that’s not safe practice.

StewPots · 23/03/2020 16:42

I'm thinking of you OP. You guys do a fantastic job and are a massive support to the NHS and to care homes. You supported me in particular as a senior HCA in a care home and I always valued your advice and continued help and kindness to me, my staff and residents.

I hope that something is sorted for you all soon, but please know you're an invaluable part of the NHS xxx

TwinsTrollsAndHunz · 23/03/2020 16:43

Flowers Brew

I’m an ex nurse, came off the register last summer. I was in a specialist community role before I left. It is absolutely shocking what’s happening. These are unprecedented circumstances (not helped by the systematic dismantling of services over that last ten years plus, I might add) and decisions have to be made that stretch everyone to their limits.

However, I absolutely agree that there are enormous safety issues. The terrible conditions rendered practice unsafe for many nurses before the outbreak, so now is unimaginably awful. I don’t know what to say to make it better, other than I absolutely agree with you and all this talk of lorries of PPE being delivered just sounds inadequate. One truck per hospital? Given that most PPE is supposed to be single patient use, that won’t last 5 minutes. Getting it out to all clinical areas is a massive undertaking and will take time and huge logistical planning. Meanwhile, the risks mount up.

As for people not replying, ‘Active’ on the board is moving so quickly. I didn’t see your thread until now and I absolutely am interested in the subject. People aren’t dismissive of your plight, they’ve just probably not seen the thread.

8thplace · 23/03/2020 16:45

Thanks for answering. It's not safe. Trust don't care. Patients and nurses at risk....cant cope with fighting and lobbying fur what we need in the community.

OP posts:
Troels · 23/03/2020 16:56

I'd probably buy my own mask if I were on the district still.
We only just got hand sanitizer where I work. Manager didn't think it was necessary, just wash your hands.
I'm not in NHS anymore, I'm in Dementia home, going off to wash hands every 5 minutes doesn't work in this job. They hug, they hold your hands, they spit, they bite, they hit. I need a bath in the stuff by the end of the day. Not a clean job in the least, we just need to keep the bugs at bay.

Bootsuit · 23/03/2020 18:49

The JCN have set up a Facebook group for community nurses to talk about this together.

We're still without PPI, latest update was we'll get some in July if we're lucky.

District nursing, like mental health never get to go to the ball.

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