Do you have any questions about returning to nursing? NHS experts have answered questions

[EllieMumsnet]

Becoming a parent is one of the most fulfilling jobs that most will ever encounter; it is an amazing time for all. It can also mean that parents may seek a new career path after their parental leave or decide they'd prefer to go back to what they were doing before. If you've been a nurse in the past and would like to get back into it, the NHS would love to answer any questions you may have. Raych is a returnee nurse and Joy is from Health Education England. They can answer your questions about training and support.

Here is what the NHS has to say: “Your nursing skills and experience are needed more than ever before. There has never been a better time to return to nursing and it is easier than you might think. We have fully funded return to practice courses across England; your course will be paid for, and you'll receive at least £500 to help with travel, childcare and book costs. Mentors and tutors will be available throughout your course to build your confidence and get you ready to come back. The length of your course will depend on how long you've been out of practice but wont take longer than 12 months.”

Here is some more information on Raych: Raych qualified as a nurse in 1996 and worked at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford, then moved overseas and began a family. She left the profession in 2010 to focus on juggling her family's busy commitments. As her circumstances gradually changed she investigated a return to nursing, then last July, everything came together and she was able to do the Return to Practice course whilst working at the Royal Papworth Hospital. Following this her PIN was reactivated in March 2019 and she is now back in the career she loves.

Here is some information on Joy: Joy has been in the NHS for more than 30 years and is a nurse by background. She is passionate about encouraging nurses to return to practice and has extensive experience of supporting them to successfully return to the nursing workforce. Ask her your questions!

Maybe you’d like to know some more information on how to get into nursing? Would you like to know exactly what the job entails and if any flexible working is available? Are you an ex-nurse wanting to return and have a few questions on exactly how to go about doing this? Or maybe you have questions about the application and training process?

Whatever questions you have about nursing (whether it’s returning to or wanting to start), ask them on the thread below and we will choose approximately 10 for Raych and Joy to answer. Everyone who posts their questions will be entered into a prize draw where 3 MNers will win a £100 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck with the prize draw!
MNHQ

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Ali1cedowntherabbithole, you have summed it up with:

*This thread shows a good number of experienced nurses who would potentially like to RTP, just as long as they could do their job properly and can work with family commitments.

Right now, I don't think the incentives are there for us.*

This thread really does sum up the lack of respect towards nurses and potential nurses. In a way I think it’s actually good that it is showing the issues and how real the concerns are. That the NHS thinks it’s ok to start a thread and just come back to the questions a few weeks later, when the issues raised are so obvious and so dangerous that they should have been able to start addressing them rather than just paying lip service to them with a thread on here. It’s blatantly obvious that to improve the number of staff returning the RTP needs to be offered with flexible hours and in flexible locations / conditions. Not just a load of shifts on a ward where you will be hit, spat at and treated with zero respect while you struggle to find childcare.

I have nothing against ward nursing BTW in case my rant reads like that! I actually think it is one of the hardest, most skilled areas of nursing and certainly one of the most poorly respected ones. It’s just not for everyone.

Well what a waste of bloody time and effort this thread was.

Thanks for the reply. I think realistically if I was going to return to nursing I'd do a return to nursing course then either go back to nursing home work or prison work both of which were great.
I'd never go back to the wards and at my age I think community nursing is going to be too mucch for me, I'm loathe to start again on band 5 after all these years.

Hi Everyone

NHS would like to say the following:

“We would like to apologise for the delay in getting responses to your questions on returning to nursing.

Joy and Raych are looking at them and several will be answered shortly, with the priority being those people who have been waiting the longest.

We want the responses from Joy and Raych to be as useful as possible which means talking to the right people in universities and the NHS. You may also want to read some of the frequently asked questions here and sign-up to the NHS email guide which will offer useful information and advice on getting back to a nursing career.”

Underpaid and overworked, nurses are then further let down by what sadly passes as a union - the RCN.
I couldn’t in any conscience recommend nursing as a career. It will make you tired stressed and ill and if you complain you will likely be harassed and bullied.
I’m surprised there are only 40,000 nurse vacancies as every nurse I know expresses they'd Quit if they could.

Sad situation.

Well the NMC certainly doesn’t value nurses. I recently retired after forty years as a registered nurse. I informed the NMC that I wouldn’t be renewing my registration and the acknowledgement I received from them was pretty much a series of threats. How I no longer had the legal right to call myself a nurse and if I did I was committing a criminal offence and would be liable to prosecution. I thought perhaps a thank you for forty years of dedicated service would be in order but no, they really couldn’t give a flying fuck.

Even with a strongish union like the BMA the doctors can’t manage to get public support or respect and their conditions are terrible too. There is such limited public support or understanding for any HCPs. I do realise there are some who are very appreciative but after a while it grinds you down.

With a weak union like the RCN there is no hope. The NMC don’t care at all. They are there to ‘protect the public’, by blaming individual staff and taking no notice of systems errors.

Come on Mumsnet, let’s have these questions and comments answered.

Don’t just abandon the thread please.

It will be left to wither and die, crosser.

If I didn’t fear being outed I would share this thread far and wide to show the public how the NHS treats its nurses .

I don’t think these are the sort of questions expected.... guess they were hoping more for the “ how can I go back “ or “ I’ve really missed nursing , I want to return as soon as possible” type questions. Nice easy ones...
Maybe the truth hurts?

The lack of response

Well I think that OUR comments and questions over 6 pages have raised and aired very valid points.
It’s not just a “whinge “ it’s the truth and how life is in the NHS.

Definitely crosser.

This thread was started on 2nd May, so nearly 6 weeks ago.
The fact that no one from the NHS has bothered to get back to reply to questions and the many serious concerns raised within the thread by nurses says it all.
What a lack of respect.
Disgraceful.

It’s now 20/06, 7 weeks since the thread started and 2 weeks since we were told we’d have answers to ‘several’ ‘shortly’.

Perhaps it’s time to admit that this thread didn’t yield the desired result for the sponsors and that’s why there is no response? If there ever is a response, it will be answering the most benign questions on here and studiously avoiding anything contentious. We know it. MNHQ know it. The sponsors of the thread know it. Sad times. Just pull the thread MNHQ, it’s a waste of everyone’s time.

Hi all - answers are now back and can be found on this page.

Thanks for coming back to the thread. About the only good thing I can see about that link is that you have had the decency to link back to the thread here so people can see our actual comments.

Even some of the answers are unrealistic. E.g. outpatients and day wards suggested as a 9-5 option. Not round here and not in many NHS Trusts. 8-6 or more likely 7:30 or 8 -8. Plus weekend working. My local GP practice has just advertised it’s extended hours of 8-8. Some roles offering 9-5 work exist but they are like hens teeth and people never leave!

@StreetDreams NHS would like to answer your question below:

"There is accelerated training at many universities. It is often referred to as‘Accreditation of Prior and Experiential Learning (APEL)’. These courses usually take two years rather than three for an undergraduate degree. Whether your degree and/or access course will be accepted will depend on the university as each will have slightly different entry requirements. The best optionis to contact universities directly to discuss your options. All courses are listed on the Health Careers course finder.There have also been discussions on the forum about degree apprenticeships. There are a small but growing number of these and are an alternative to a full-time university course. Opportunities usually appear on the NHS Jobs. You can register and when one becomes available in your area you will be notified by email."

@Montydoo NHS would like to answer your question below:

"Is it worth having a discussion with your line manager about your ambitions? For example, one option could be applying for a nursing associate apprenticeship which sits between HCA and registered nurse. It takes two years to complete and leads to a foundation degree. You could then apply for a nurse degree apprenticeship with an employer when one becomes available."

@TellMeItsNotTrue @CopperPan NHS would like to respond to your questions below:

"Nurse training requires 50% clinical practice as well as 50% academic study. If you were on a full-time course, you would have clinical placements built-in to the degree. You might like to visit some university open days to find out more about the training and ask about time commitments and if there is any flexibility in respect of childcare. You might also be able to get financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund so definitely worth speaking to them. Degree apprenticeships in nursing are also being offered in some organisations and vacancies are advertised on NHS Jobs. Make sure you register so you know when they are advertised. Deciding to become a nurse isn’t something that should be done lightly so you may want to try some volunteering within a health of or care to see if it’s for you. It is better to know beforehand that it is the right thing for you. Take a look at this page about ways of gaining experience."

@RollsEyes NHS would like to respond to your question below:

"We are sorry for not replying sooner. Your daughter will find lots information on the Health Careers website about nursing, including the different fields of nursing, how to train and some FAQs. The course finder on the website lists all the approved pre-registration courses at undergraduate and graduate-entry level. She could also sign up to receive ongoing information about getting into nursing (sign up here).Your daughter can also give us a call on 0345 60 60 655 or email [email protected] if she wants more information."

Brilliant, thankyou for answering my question

I honestly don't know how fellow nurses could have the conscience to encourage people into the profession.

@madcatladyforever NHS would like to answer your questions below:

"Hi, nurses are needed in all areas of healthcare and your contribution is just as valuable in a nursing home or prison as it would be on the wards. If you are interested in the prison healthcare, you may find the return to practice in general practice nursing (RTP GPN) course as skills learnt in general practice nursing are transferable to prison nursing. One of our RTP GPN students went straight into the prison service and loves it. She found the skills she learnt through the course extremely useful"