Protect the title Nurse

[Cuck00soup]

Arbella2 has been doing sterling work over on petitions and activism to promote the current petition to protect the title Nurse in law so that it can only be used by those who are qualified and registered with the appropriate organisation.

This isn’t a TAAT, I thought it was worth discussing the feminist aspects of this. The nursing workforce is predominantly female and I can’t help thinking that is part of the issue.

As explained by prof Alison Leary in the blog linked below Although the term Registered Nurse is protected under the 1997 Nurses Midwives and Health Visiting Act, the term “nurse” is not protected in the UK. It’s an issue because the term nurse is the term in common usage. Other professional titles such as physiotherapist, hearing aid dispenser, dental nurse or paramedic are protected in law.

This means anyone can use the term nurse to offer services, advice or be employed as a “nurse”. The use of the term nurse is not restricted to use by Registered Nurses and can be used by many different types of worker. This includes assistive roles such as healthcare support workers or other professionals taking on “nursing” work.

richmondgroupofcharities.org.uk/news/guest-blog-protecting-title-nurse-uk-law

It is women who are most affected by this. If the title Nurse isn’t protected in law, the option to employ unqualified workers becomes tempting to companies looking to save money. This means nursing assistants being placed in positions they shouldn’t be, and patients and the public being at risk of receiving the wrong care. It will also, in all likelihood, exert a downward pressure on the salaries of qualified nurses.

I can’t help wondering if this would even be an issue in professions with more males.

If you would like to sign the petition, please see Arbella2’s thread

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/petitions_noticeboard/4368136-protect-the-title-nurse-in-uk-law-petition-the-title-nurse-can-be-used-by-anyone-in-the-uk-petition-created-by-professor-alison-leary-rn?reverse=1

ChocolateDeficitDisorder
Continued
Both Matron and staff nurse need nurse registration.
Could you explain what you mean by the staff nurse presumably not

Continued
Could you explain your point about the staff nurse not
needing to perform the role of a qualified nurse for the most part ?
A staff nurse is a registered nurse role.

Sorry internet problem
You say presumably. Are there staff nurse positions where the post holder does not perform the role of a registered nurse for the most part ? Not in my experience.

"Many people take the nurse title to mean registered nurse which presents a clear patient safety issue as it is open to misuse.
Nurses who have been struck off the register and even people who have never been nurses at all are able to use the title freely and without consequence"
Registered Nurse and supporter of the Protect the title Nurse campaign speaking to Nursing Notes 16/06/21

If you would like to sign the petition there are links throughout the thread over on Petitions & Activism

62% of 22,552 NHS managers are women.

NHS England on International Women's Day 08/03/21

Staff nurse positions which require registrations are advertised as such, those post which would suit a trained nurse, but could also be performed by another specialist, are also advertised appropriately.

It's not a feminist issue, it's a staff deployment issue.

Trained nurses know their job and employers know when they need trained nurses. The public know that not all nurses are qualified and if they get confused it's simple to explain the difference in roles to them.

Why are you wasting so much energy on this? There are far greater issues to be worried about.

Why are you wasting so much energy on this? There are far greater issues to be worried about.

My greatest fear is that the examples in this thread are just the thin end of the wedge. Healthcare is short of money and staff and It’s becoming too tempting to recruit staff without appropriate qualifications or experience. This puts patient safety at risk and should be challenged.

I think it’s essential that appropriately qualified registered nurses will be available to care for my family members when they need it.

@ChocolateDeficitDisorder

Staff nurse positions which require registrations are advertised as such, those post which would suit a trained nurse, but could also be performed by another specialist, are also advertised appropriately.

It's not a feminist issue, it's a staff deployment issue.

Trained nurses know their job and employers know when they need trained nurses. The public know that not all nurses are qualified and if they get confused it's simple to explain the difference in roles to them.

Why are you wasting so much energy on this? There are far greater issues to be worried about.

I had a long career in the NHS and was a Band 8b with experience in nurse recruitment.

My concerns regarding nurse recruitment are in line with those of the Royal College of Nursing, both the present and former Chief Nursing Officers for England and published academics.

My views on the nurse title are in line with the Royal College of Nursing, The Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Chief Nursing Officers for both England and Northern Ireland and published academics.

This thread is full of these references. This does not mean that everyone should agree with my views , but that information is available for

CONTINUED
people to look at and that my decision making is based on reliable evidence as well as my own experience.

I feel that you greatly underestimate the public's understanding of risk and their desire for safety, clarity and accountability.

You show great interest in my time management. Fortunately this has always been one of my stronger points. I can assure you that I and many others won't be "wasting" our time because people are listening, questioning and reacting. We all want our families to be safe in every contact they have with healthcare.

On my first day as a student nurse, the sister tutor told our group that the two most important words for every nurse to remember were 'patient safety '
She was so right.

42.5% of 18,509 NHS ambulance staff are women

NHS England on International Women's Day 08/03/21

@Arbella2

If you would like to sign the petition there are links throughout the thread over on Petitions & Activism

Patient safety at risk.

@Arbella2

Andrea Sutcliffe Chief Executive NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) writing in the Nursing Times September 2021 "One aspect we really want to pursue is that the title nurse is currently not protected" "I believe it is essential we have the right protected titles and associated enforcement powers to take effective action to protect the public"

The Protect the title Nurse petition is about Patient Safety and Protecting the Public.

'Preserve Safety' is one of the four parts of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Code, the professional standards that nurses must uphold in order to be registered to practise in the UK.

The other parts of the code are-
Prioritise people, Practise effectively and Promote professionalism and trust.

77.6% of 172,267 NHS scientific, therapeutic and technical staff are women.

NHS England on International Women's Day 08/03/21

@Arbella2

If you would like to sign the petition there are links throughout the thread over on Petitions & Activism

Patient safety at risk.

It's *not a feminist issue

Really ??

Employment
NHS England 08/03/21
76.7% of 1.3 million NHS staff are women.
88.6% of 342,104 NHS nurses and health visitors are women.

Health
NHS Digital Summary Report 08/10/20
NHS Outpatient Attendances 01/04/19 to 31/3/20
57.8% were Women (55.5 million)
42.1% were Men (40.6 million)

For Women the age group with the greatest number of attendances was 30-34 years (4.5 million)
For Men the age group with the greatest number of attendances was 70-74 years (4.3 million)

Carers
Carers UK (International Women's Day 08/03/21)
58% of the 6.5 million unpaid carers are Women (3.34 million)

60% of those caring for over 50 hours a week are Women.

Women are more likely to be 'Sandwich' carers, caring for young children and elderly parents at the same time.

Half of Women will be carers by the age of 46, more than a decade earlier than Men, who on average won't have caring responsibilities until they are 57

65% of Adults provide care at some point and Women have a 70% chance of becoming a carer versus Men at a 60% likelihood.

"Not defining 'nurse' means other workers can be employed in these roles and further mask the nursing shortage"
Professor Alison Leary
September 2021

"The RCN is committed to multidisciplinary working in health and social care and recognises the knowledge, skill and expertise of the many professions involved.
Many inquiries and reviews however including the Francis report into the catastrophic events at Mid Staffordshire, have highlighted the risk of not having the right nursing care available for patients and stressed the importance of nursing leadership. The common theme has been that patient safety and need must drive the shape of the workforce"
From the Royal College of Nursing press release 09/06/21
https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/nursing-workforce-crisis-leads-to-risky-recruitment-practice

Carers, by virtue of their role, have increased contact with NHS staff.
Many start their caring role by being involved in a family member's repeat medication requests, arranging GP appointments, keeping track of upcoming hospital appointments and accompanying the family member to these appointments.

Every member of the public needs clarity about who is treating them, and none more so than carers.

Continued
Carers very frequently need to ask advice about their relative's medical conditions and treatment, especially at first as they become accustomed to their role. A role that is in addition to the other calls on their time, and time that is often under a great deal of pressure. They shouldn't have to wade through the current multiple titles using the term nurse to know who is giving advice and looking after their relative.
There are 1.25 million 'sandwich' carers in the UK, people caring for an older relative as well as bringing up a family. Women make up 68% of these carers. 35% of sandwich carers are in the 35 to 44 age group. These carers often have a high amount of contact with NHS staff.
(Figures Carers UK)

"There is substantial evidence that
registered nurses improve patient safety, including outcomes and mortality"
Royal College of Nursing press release June 2021
workforce-crisis-leads-to-risky-recruitment-practice

Continued
Sorry error with previous link
Trying again.
https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/press-releases/nursing-workforce-crisis-leads-to-risky-recruitment-practice

[quote Arbella2]BMJ (British Medical Journal) article
The Healthcare Quality and Safety Conference October 2021
"A bedside care workforce with a greater proportion of professional nurses is associated with better outcomes for patients and nurses. Reducing nursing skill mix by adding nursing associates and other categories of assistive personnel without professional nurse qualifications may contribute to preventable deaths, erode quality and safety of hospital care and contribute to hospital nurse shortages"
https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/26/7/559[/quote]

A reminder of a previous post

"In 2017 my research colleagues and I published a paper looking at nursing job titles in common use (there are thousands) An incidental finding was that employers were employing people with no registerable nursing qualifications, with job titles such as advanced nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist.
Although the term Registered Nurse is protected under the 1997 Nurses Midwives and Health Visiting Act, the term 'nurse' is not protected in the UK. It's an issue because the term nurse is the term in common usage. Other professional titles such as physiotherapist, hearing aid dispenser, dental nurse or paramedic are protected in law"
Professor Alison Leary 23/09/21
https://richmondgroupofcharities.org.uk/news

@Arbella2

If you would like to sign the petition there are links throughout the thread over on Petitions & Activism

Patient safety at risk.