NHSers - how are we doing / feeling? Calm before the storm?

[treebarking]

I'm in a low incidence area but even our covid ward has reopened with patients. No one on ITU but starting to see sicker covid patients coming in. Bigger regional hospital has a full unit already. No reduction in general admissions and if anything, they are more complex. Services were slowly getting back to normal, working through waiting lists etc but lags of 6 months for input. Infrastructure slowly going back to normal. Massive staff shortages as loads off with mental health sickness absence. Heating has gone on...hating mask life etc.

Today everyone suddenly realised that we might be going back to March or something similar. All the covid area processes again alongside running an acute service for non covid patients (as everyone won't stay at home this time round). Incorporating covid into the running of the hospital etc. Everyone has been in good spirits but today....really flat. Not sure we've got enough reserves to do it again.

We're therapies btw so go all over the hospital rather than ward based.

How is everyone else doing? Does anyone know what the plan is for the nightingales? 🤷‍♀️

Thank you all for carrying on the vital work of the NHS. I think that you are very much appreciated by the majority of people, and just because the clapping sessions have stopped, that doesn't mean that your efforts are going unnoticed.

In my book, you're all heroes, along with carers, cleaners and all the other people involved in caring for the sick and elderly. I've been having a whinge today on another thread, but this thread puts my worries into perspective.

@labellesusage

Yes. We do even when cpap . Not all patients are swabbed for certain procedures. Which is daft especially a bronchoscopy

Our guidance seems to change weekly. Just had our third FIT testing for another batch 😩

@Dominicgoings , I got fit tested back beginning of March. The trust has now got some kind of fancy machine that takes less time to test people.
I remember too well working on the covid ward. There was a box of ffp3. Sticker over the expiry date. We peeling them back to 2014. Apparently the masks are recertified and so fit for purpose.
Staff stressed and the trust put up a diversity wall 😒
Not one of them came on the wards during the pandemic. Or now. No coming to tell us how well we were doing. When they do come into the main hospital it's funny to see them plaster themselves against a wall as if we are carrying the plague.
Staff moral is shite but we just keep on going on.
I just seem to be on auto pilot.

Guidelines have changed for my trust yet again with regards to swabbing and wearing visors and PPE for resus depending on the patient's. I can't stand it. The visiting Is ridiculous now, some don't listen or completely disregard the rules. I feel more at risk now than back from in March. It's like the public think we are somehow immune to covid. We have had outbreaks in one of our trusts.

Im burned out from the first wave...ive had to take some time away from work.

I can say our trust is better prepared for sure this time. Im just worn out and frazzled

Cases are increasing in the hospital. Just waiting, waiting, fighting for our ICU escalation area which keeps getting removed. Busy on ICU already, without covid patients. I'm tired, wondering about my mental health. So fed up of poor staffing.

Anyone else being told through those god awful screen savers at work that it's "more important than ever to get the flu vaccine this year to protect yourself, your patients, your colleagues and your family". But not able to actually get one or at least book one yet as the vaccination programme hasn't started yet? Or is it just my trust that seems a bit unorganised about it?

I'm feeling throughly fucked off with it all today.

@labellesusage

We couldn't get to the original expiry date on our boxes, but worked out that our ffp3s must have been made between 2001 and 2009, as they have a safety standard on them that says 2001; Googled it and that safety standard got replaced in 2009. So they are at least 11 years old. We were assured by management that they had been retested and were safe blah blah, some of the next new sticker expiry dates were for 2019, rather than 2020. Reassuring. And then I saw some channel 4 news report about how they hadn't actually been properly tested, they'd literally just stuck a sticker on the box.

Doubt any of our managers would be happy to do any AGPs with a ffp3 that's older than a decade.

Our PPE guidelines have recently changed so that all staff in "covid secure areas" like offices have to wear a mask. Apparently it's a national thing because of the rise in cases? Can't see it will make much of a difference but whatever.

Just want to cry 😥
In the midst of an outbreak at work.lots of staff with mental health issues some with covid.
To top it all just recieved my payment reminder from the NMC. Do I really want to pay £120 for the privilege of being a nurse?

54 positive patients, 5 on icu as of Monday, 2 related deaths at the weekend. These figures are higher than when we initially locked down and most other activity ceased. This time no non Covid activity has ceased. So we are doubly busy. With the winter to come I foresee burn out, stress, low morale and a distinct lack of feeling appreciated in any meaningful way.

Hi, community nurse here, I am fed up, tired and scared. Lots of cases in our area and still we have not got adequate PPE. Too many people not following the rules, too many outbreaks linked to parties. So angry that so many people can’t see how dangerous the situation has become, if everyone continues to get this bug at the same time there will be no services available for anyone...already we have colleagues off isolating due to close contacts so staff numbers also reduced. Add to this I am anxious about my kids as there are cases in all their schools now. I just wish people would think about the bigger picture and just follow the rules!

I had to shield last time cause I’ve got fairly severe asthma & a shite immune system. Can’t say I’m too thrilled by going into the hospital when there’s 14k worth of known cases about.

@glitterwobbles that's a kicker.

@kittykaty really feel for you and completely agree with your anger at people having parties. Perhaps they would like to walk in our shoes ( nice comfy ones as we are nurses) just do your best and keep nagging about PPE. I'm really lucky on that front as we always have plenty.
Huge hugs to all my NHS and social care family. Try and stay strong eventually this time will pass.

Our GP services have been a zillion times better since they went on-line. Order repeats through portal, note sympt9ms on portal and dr phones back. No 35 minutes on hold only to talk to a rude and obstructive receptionist.

DD has had her implant out and a scan in outpatients. It's been working better than ever here since technology was allowed in.

Except for our local MH Trust where we is under the adult ADHD Team. 6 months in no face to face appointments, no video calls, no timed apts - patients expected to be available between 9 to 5 for a ten mi ute call and to take their own bp and weight, etc. If a call is missed the admin office is closed. Vulnerable patients have to phone the main switchboard in a state to explain and report an issue. It is an absolute disgrace that 6 months in they haven't been able to get themselves organised.

I think the NHS could get themselves far better organised and start looking for some of the failures to be addressed by Sir Simon Stevens rather than the government. He has been extraordinarily quiet throughout all of this. Where is he?

Nobody who joins the army complains if there's a war. I don't understand why NHS workers complain when there's a pandemic which is the equivalent.

FWIW I've worked 50 to 60 hour wèks during lockdown to help keep my c9mplex organisation running costs customers and to try to ensure it survives. I am glad to have a job despite inordinate stress and responsibility.

@OhTheRoses

God I'm so curious to meet you in real life as a patient, any opportunity to bash the NHS on here and there you are, like clockwork.

I'm sure you'd find me utterly charming @hobnobsandbroomstick Did you miss the first two paragraphs by the way where I was extremely complimentary.

Where is Sir Simon Stevens btw? I'd be awfully interested.

@ontheroses. I find your comments really offensive. No NHS worker signed up to work through a pandemic without protection. We are not Canon fodder so some people can carry on regardless.
My tears and there have been many are for the suffering of my patients and colleaques.
I have worked through numerous outbreaks of norovirus, flu even scabies. I have always taken it in my stride.
I presume that you won't complain when you can't access your health service because all the staff are sick or dead.
We are the NHS but we are also human beings with families and normal fears and anxieties. Also I new that nursing was a difficult job and have given up many christmases and other celebrations because that's what I signed up for. I did not sign up to risk my life.
Let's all pull together for the sake of our country.we need to keep our children in schools and as many businesses open as possible. But do people need to Party? Cant everyone make a few sacrifices to keep our vulnerable safe. Maybe are elderly also signed up to die

@OhTheRoses

I'm sure I'm find you memorable.

"Nobody who joins the army complains if there's a war. I don't understand why NHS workers complain when there's a pandemic which is the equivalent."

You are totally batshit. Honestly I would love to meet you one day, though maybe just briefly

@glitterwobbles I don't think I said I was carrying on as before or was partying. My family have followed all the rules in every way.

I understand that recent research indicates that front-line NHS workers are not at greater risk than others. Where have I said that NHS workers are cannon fodder. They are not. I have merely drawn an analogy between war and disease which is entirely reasonable.

@OhTheRoses do you take pleasure in coming to what is essentially a thread to allow NHS staff the chance to vent and support each other and then spout bullshit??

"Nobody who joins the army complains if there's a war. I don't understand why NHS workers complain when there's a pandemic which is the equivalent." Get lost.

@Hobnobsandbroomstick
Well said.
@ontheroses I dont care what the research says I work for a small trust we have had 2 members of staff die and double figures end up in ITU. We are at risk it's just that most of us are extra careful. I constantly worry that I may catch covid and take it in too work so barely go anywhere except for outdoors and 90% of my social life is on the phone. I worry everytime I have a dry throat. Obviously these are fleeting worries but still a constant.
I'm glad that you are working hard and contributing to the economy. However dont bash the nhs. If you can do better come and join us I'm all for making services streamlined but nursing is an art based on human interaction. A listening ear, a helping hand. A shoulder to cry on, an encouraging smile as people get better. Care and compassion can not be automated or streamlined they are the bases of health and social care.

@OhTheRoses

You clearly have no idea what it takes to be a nurse or doctor. I think your words are thoughtless and callous. I imagine at no point during your long working week do you have to be with people and support people through some of the most traumatic moments of their life. I don’t expect you have to make life or death decisions or sit and comfort someone as they die.

Please go and find another thread to share your views and leave NHS staff alone.

To all the nurses, doctors, healthcare assistants, cleaners etc working in the hot zones and doing over and above to make it possible for others to work in the hot zones: thank you so much please take extra good care of yourselves and know that ohtheroses doesn’t represent the views of most people.

I’m off sick at the moment but my colleagues have said the babies/children with respiratory illnesses are now regularly coming in. Our ward is horrendous in winter anyway and we are all dreading what’s to come. I think staff morale is going to take a hard know and I’m not sure if we are all mentally strong enough to face it.

It’s exhausting. Redeployed half my team in March and yet my department had no reduction in activity those those left behind were wrung out. The trust were very slow to return the deployed even when wards were half empty.

About 30% of staff caught Covid during the first outbreak. We had half a dozen die. ITU and Covid ward staff stayed well, all those who died were in reception, portering, catering or outpatient nursing, ie areas with poor / no PPE. I had a close colleague die and knew very well a further 5 who were ventilated.

Lots of senior staff buggered off home and we haven’t seen them since. Some only attending Teams meetings, the rest of the time god only knows what they are doing...there are also lots still shielding although shielding ended some time ago...

Admin all work from home 4/5 days so the service is poorly responsive and chaotic which puts more work onto clinicians.

Clinical teams have a lot of staff suffering PTSD or stress. Some are off quite a bit which puts more strain on those left behind.

Had a message to identify staff for deployment when needed. I’m going to tell them to bugger off. No lessons have been learned and no efforts to shore up ITU. They even took advantage of the deployed staff by banning bank and agency workers. So got a bloody CIP out of it. No way can they ask retirees to step up again knowing what we know about age related risk.

I also feel strongly that we can’t keep hammering the economy and I’m terrified about all the people losing jobs and income. It’s a shit show.