My husband has said I can quit my job if I want to.

[QueenofmyPrinces]

I’m a nurse, obviously anxious about what dangers and nightmares lie ahead, and my DH has just said that I don’t have to go to work if I don’t want to, and he’d rather us live on just one wage if it meant I could be kept safe.

Has anyone else working in hospitals ever felt so nervous about what’s to come that they’d consider leaving?

OP
I'm a radiographer/sonographer on the frontline.
I'm not doing much in the way of ultrasound at the moment. But I am x-raying and carrying out ct scans on ?covid and confirmed covid.
All suspected and positive covid patients have a chest x-ray ( the itu ones having several daily) and many are having CT scans.
I'm horrified by what I have witnessed this past week and I am literally scared for my life.
I don't buy into the at risk rhetoric if I'm honest as a lot of our current cases are below 40 with no comorbidities.

I absolutely love my job. But at what cost?
I certainly didn't sign up and consider my role to be similar of military personnel
I really didn't think I could potentially die doing my job.
We are given surgical masks which don't protect against normal flu or TB so why we are having to use them now I'll never know.
We have had staff go off with covid and stress and even I've been put on medication to get me through.
My children will always need me and I feel like I can't be there for them and worry that it could be a permanent thing.

I am totally with you OP and if I could walk out tomorrow I would.
I'll never be the same again.

Oh my goodness, unless all of the judgy pp above have been in your position, they have absolutely no right to criticise you whatsoever. Thank you so so much for doing what we can’t do. You and your family are doing this for us, and we should just be grateful. When you feel like it’s enough, it IS enough and no one should do anything but say “Thank you”.

If you feel you need to leave the hospital environment might there be another role as a nurse you could take, you will still be helping, For instance nurse in 111 call centre or another job not in a hospital?

@QueenofmyPrinces- Even if every other nurse was willing to put their life on the line that doesn’t mean I’m duty bound to

This is true. It is between you and your conscience.

Nobody, obviously. But thousands of nurses aren’t going to leave - I’m just wondering whether I should

Indeed, thankfully thousands are not going to leave and we have many coming back from retirement and all those wonderful volunteers who are willing to do their best in these difficult times. We also have student nurses who are suspending their studies to work as health care support workers so I’m sure we will manage without you. Good health to you and your family - hopefully you won’t need us anytime soon.

@Doggybiccys, you are wonderful... I hope u and ur family, all frontline peeps, and my sister and us remain safe and strong

@EL8888 I’m a student nurse.
I don’t have to be in work right now as we have been stood down as students and our placements cancelled. So I joined the bank auxiliary. Because I want to be a nurse and part of that is putting my patients first. Of course it’s bloody terrifying but as a PP said/ what if every nurse or Dr or HCP or NHS cleaner who was also terrified just didn’t work? Surely when push comes to shove we have to step up to the hardest part of our job and do it? A jet pilot doesn’t want to be flying a malfunctioning plane- but when it malfunctions s/he doesn’t eject out the seat and leave the passengers behind... the teacher in Dunblane primary school didn’t run out the gym when the gunman entered. I wouldn’t give up nursing because people are dying.
But I also wouldn’t judge someone who does. I would say they’re not cut out to be a nurse though. Without judgement. They’re just not. This is the ultimate test of healthcare work surely?

I guess it separates the people who were cut out for nursing and those who weren’t. Which is fine...Nurses should be prepared to put their patients first, but some won’t or can’t. Which means they’re not suitable nurses.
I have never before known people to believe that taking on the role of a nurse means an unerring willingness to sacrifice your life or that of your family.

Op, ultimately it's your decision. If you love the job but are very worried due to underlying health issues is it possible to take unpaid leave vs quit.
My mum is on the frontline, I think the pressure brings out the best in her but she doesn't have young children to think about in the house etc.

Sorry doggybiscuits

I'm flicking between forums and you got my brunt.

Wrong thread! I have reported myself

Well if every nurse thought like you, we’d be in big trouble. Fortunately most nurses aren’t like you.

Isadora I salute you🙏

Hey OP, myself and many wonderful friends are all on the frontline health services. We're all crapping our pants. Our jobs and roles are changing to suit the needs. We recognise our vulnerability. We feel like we're waiting for judgement day and fear we'll infect our nearest and dearest. Sometimes our emotions are rational, sometimes erratic. You are not alone in your thoughts and feelings xx

Carrotcake good job you've said that, I reported you too.

Surprised how many people are scared. My work is very relaxed about the risks and therefore i’m not worried about having a cough/temp for a few days. Obviously it could be worse but so could driving to work and being in a crash so i’m not scared/terrified and all these other things being said on the thread. My only concern is keeping my parents safe but I haven’t seen them for a while now and don’t expect I will for a long time yet.

I totally understand OP - I'm a biomedical scientist in a micro lab testing for Covid-19 - we were on our knees before this hit, several people had left and others were about to leave who are now feeling that they should stay (though can't really see that happening past the initial period).

No-one signed up for this, especially when we are working under risky conditions without proper PPE and a disregard for our health and safety.

You have to make the right decision for you. One thing is that all these volunteers won't be able to replace your training or knowledge, so you'll leave a gap that won't be easily filled, but hopefully that'll make people realise that nurses are highly trained and extremely valuable, and shouldn't be taken for granted in the way that they have been.

I think the fear felt could be to do with how bad it is in your hospital maybe?

I felt pretty chilled 10 days ago well not chilled but not horrified.
Things have changed quickly and now I'm really worried and stressed.

Worra

• no, because we are dealing with heavily infected incredibly unwell people but those who are symptomatic should not be in the shops. So not the same. Ridiculous.

If you're this concerned about it you shouldn't go.
Society's falling apart. Some of us (me) think it's being over-egged and that in turn is causing hysteria.
NHS though are different because it is a HUGE risk being exposed to high levels of the virus and at the moment there's a shortage of masks because every member of the public seems to think they need the masks more than the nurses.
I think you are well within your rights not to go. No one has a right to ask you to make that sacrifice.
It is, I would say, very different to ANY other profession. NHS are having to deal exclusively with definite confirmed cases ALL day long.

@UYScuti thank you but there are so many wonderful NHS workers out there and I’m nothing special at all.

Worra
no, because we are dealing with heavily infected incredibly unwell people but those who are symptomatic should not be in the shops. So not the same. Ridiculous.

And how many people do you think are in the shops without knowing they've been infected?

I keep wondering what happened in the Nursing home in Spain where the elderly were found dead and dying and no staff ? Did the staff all get ill or abandon their patients? Tragic.

I'm not going to argue. They are not dealing with heavily infected high viral load bodily secretions deaths and intubation. They at worst have asymptomatic infection and are 2 m distanced.

Just leave it now it's not really fair to argue when you don't know the situation and we are on it.

Do you think symptomatic people stay at home Kingofkings?

Sorry but bollocks.

My brother works in a supermarket and they have had no gloves (apparently there is no point because the pallets rip them to shreds anyway) no masks, and a complete lack of hand sanitiser and handwash until recently which is still lacking IMO.

They are being bumped, pulled and prodded by shoppers who don't give a shit about social distancing if it means they get some bog roll.

Not to mention the abuse including spitting.

It may not be exactly the same but their risk is massive and they don't get even half the recognition as you do.

Can someone please talk me down. I work in a supermarket, and have an eleven year old. I am so worried about us and the whole of Britain.

I'm so scared to go to work. I'm sat crying in bed.

I've just watched a video from Spain, a lady saying babies and children are dying. And there's nothing anyone can do. And we are going to have it much worse.

Sorry to highjack the thread but my anxiety is at an all time high