Pressure on frontline NHS staff

[addictedtotheflats]

Im a senior nurse in an a&e department in a Tier 2 area and its SO busy. I’ve been so resilient and positive (mentally not covid) but I think its getting a bit much now. Im sick of see posts in the media about how hospitals are empty and NHS workers are basically dossing. A&e is constantly full, we have 25+ covid patients waiting for beds upto 18 hours who we are expected to care for on top of 60+ other patients. This wave is different to the last one, people werent coming in for minor ailments in april-june but now people arent scared, we are the easy option for people to get seen by a doctor on the same day. Symptomatic patients lining the corridors because we have no more isolation space, staff going off for 2 weeks either positive or exposed in the household, I just feel like its beyond unsustainable, my team all work so hard 24/7. I’m not sure what I want from this post, just finished a hideous 13 hour shift, half of which felt unsafe because of acuity, high attendances and staffing pressures. Anyone else in the same situation?

@addictedtotheflats I’m Yorkshire too
Just having a cry at the thought of another week of this.

@Pickypolly please look after yourself

@GreatBigBeautifulTommorow sorry it’s so hard. Try and have a nice day today.

Thanks @Pomegranatespompom

I know IABU, but is anyone else getting pissed off that people are complaining about a looming lockdown during autumn/winter weather?

I was annoyed enough at all the sunkissed, fresh and glowing isolating and furloughed people planning to take their annual leave on top of this enforced time off whilst I was transferred to work in ITU with COVID patients whilst wearing full PPE for 13 hour shifts.

Now, I know it’s not their fault that they had to do this, but it’s not a paid holiday. I put myself and my children at extremely high risk of catching a virus that we were struggling to deal with, whilst they had sunny days on the beach etc...

I’m still struggling mentally and physically from the last round. I’m scared. I don’t want to hear people moaning about winter lockdown.

[quote Ecosse]@SheepandCow

Healthy 45 year olds are not at risk from COVID and you know they aren’t. The key risk factors are certain health conditions and being aged over 75.

Only 28% of shielders work at all- it is not like thousands of ICU nurses will be unable to work through shielding.[/quote]
Maybe look up healthcare worker deaths from Covid. It’s not as simple as being young & healthy when you work in healthcare.

Also death isn’t the only bad outcome. Many healthcare workers are and will be affected with mental health issues following this pandemic. This isn’t helped by people who have no idea telling healthcare workers that the hospitals they work in are empty and they’re all lazing about.

People are welcome to believe what they like but don’t voice these incorrect beliefs to people who are experiencing it.

Look the NHS is in a mess has been for years our health board been in special measures for 5!!! years. Thrown management consultants at it, various Chief Executive have been and gone, we are no further forward.

To blame nurses, doctors, consultants for the shortage of beds re: any epidemic whether it be flu, norovirus, or covid is pointless. They shut down the isolation hospitals years ago, now they would have been useful, instead building huge edifices where infection runs rampant. We had one in Colwyn Bay, one in Abergele, one in St. Asaph, set in nice gardens, parkland, set back from the road, patients were free to recover without the risk of transmission. Now we cannot even run a nightingale hospital.

Nurses now need a degree, back in the day you had SEN and SRN nurses both highly valued. Now you need a degree have to go into debt all for not great money. It is nuts.

I know this thread is old but thought it deserved a bump given the new lockdown rules and escalating case numbers in all parts of the country.

I’m NHS, ward based with covid patients. But not as frontline as the OP and others. I have the utmost respect for those in ED, ITU, covid wards and those working tirelessly both in and outside the hospital to try to give our patients the best care they possibly can. It feels relentless at the moment. In March our trust were 80+% covid. It’s now much less but the other admissions haven’t stopped. Winter is always busy and we are seeing the impact of people attempting to keep away during the first lockdown. Lots of late diagnosed cancer etc in patients who have avoided hospitals. It’s heartbreaking

Agree, it’s relentless in ED now. We have patients with COVID all over the place and yet others still arrive with really trivial longstanding problems.
We’re doing our best to do a good job but just wish the rest of the country would do their bit to help - wash your hands, keep yourselves out of the way as much as you can, please!

Our hospital trust keep putting up FB posts, do not bother A and E, do not bother your GP bother your pharmacist, well up to now folk have stayed silent and shared. That dam broke last night, heartbreaking stories of family members lost to cancer etc. since March. It is grim.

@justasking111 your own family? How sad. What should we all do?

@Wormthatturned avoid coming in for minor complaints that can wait or be dealt with elsewhere. But any worrying/ worsening symptoms should at least be discussed with a medical professional who can advise whether or not to attend ED as an emergency or be seen urgently through a hot clinic etc.

In the national press it states that University Hospitals Birmingham NHS trust has postponed all planned surgeries for this month at two of its hospitals. (Due to Covid and non-Covid admissions).

Our hospital now has over 300 covid patients across 12 wards. However, since lockdown A&E numbers have dropped by about 30-40%. It just goes to show the amount of people who attend inappropriately... lets see how long it lasts. Back tomorrow after 8 days off

@addictedtotheflats jakers that is a lot of patients. Glad accident department is quieter for you, must be tough.

Hi to all fellow NHS....how are we all doing?....😷
I’m an operating theatre sister & like many was redeployed to ITU, with a large amount of patients filling our ITU & recovery areas...returned to theatre after 3 months & straight back into it, since July we have operated at pre-covid levels working late, extra shifts etc etc trying to make a dent in the backlog....everyone exhausted, lots off-sick / isolating etc etc......and as of Monday it all happens again...I’m done, struggling physically & mentally, I have no more to give this profession of 25 yrs I have loved, 2020 has broken me 😢

For those who abuse NHS staff, there should be a heavy fine at least. It's absolutely unacceptable to do that. I can only conclude there are a lot of entitled, rude people around.

I work in ICU/Critical Care. I can only describe it as my perception of a war zone plus a lot of my colleagues who worked through the first wave simply weren't prepared to do it all over again and have left. That has left us short of experienced staff. We encourage everybody to have a hot shower afterwards and I'll talk it through with the newly qualified staff. They all look totally shattered and are often in tears. Occupational Health will have to look at providing PTSD/Mental Heath Care when this is all finally over.

@MsSafina

For those who abuse NHS staff, there should be a heavy fine at least. It's absolutely unacceptable to do that. I can only conclude there are a lot of entitled, rude people around.

In A and E a man was giving a nurse a lot of abuse, she was very patient with him it seemed he came in every day, he had mental health issues, in the end she calmed him down by saying that unless he could behave she would have to call security.

How do you issue a fine to someone like this who probably has no job and has an ongoing issue?

It could be that some have mental health issues but many don't. They just like kicking off if they don't get their own way. I've seen bus drivers abused because they won't let someone off not at the designated bus stop.

A big thumbs up, addictedtotheflats .

Reviving this thread for support. Anyone else feeling like it's Groundhog Day?