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Original poster

Qualified Nurse working as a health care assistant.

26 replies

Babyroobs · 02/05/2019 18:37

Just looking for advice from anyone else who is in or has been in my situation. I am an RN, registered until October this year and wont be revalidating. I have not practised as a nurse for a few months now and am currently employed in a non Nursing role. I would like to know if it is possible to do a Health care assistant job whilst still being a registered Nurse . I am happy to relinquish my registration early if it's a problem. Also are employers likely to be too worried if I don't have the NVQ's even if I have a qualified Nurse registration ? basically will my RN status go against me for a HCA position ?

OP posts:

IQuit3 · 02/05/2019 18:42

I am a part time qualified nurse and have worked additional hours as a band 2/3 support worker (mental health), as a bank staff for the nhs and also for a charity.
I am currently wanting to get out of nursing and applying for support work roles and special needs teaching assistant roles and not even getting interviews despite being overqualified for these roles.
Bascially there is no reason why you can't work as a HCA but it might not be easy getting a job!

Troels · 02/05/2019 19:21

I worked as a HCA for a couple of years before I did return to practise course. I worked full time on a surgical ward and loved it. But my god I was worn out, so did return to practise and now work 24 hours (two 12 hour days) a week in Dementia care and love it, I also have the same take home pay as I did doing full time as a HCA

Nothingoriginalhere · 02/05/2019 19:30

Im an ex nurse, didnt renew registration and work as a hca 18hrs per week at a Gps.
Its more common than you'd think!.

CarpetDiem · 02/05/2019 20:07

At our trust it's not allowed to work bank shifts as an HCA if you're a RN.

wigglypiggly · 02/05/2019 21:19

Call the nmc and ask if you can cancel your annual fee, when is it due. I did this and was then no longer on the active register. I know rns who give up, some get band 4, others are happy with a 3. What about something like phlebotomy or clinic.

IQuit3 · 02/05/2019 22:46

What are the reasons for that CarpetDiem?

dontticklethetoad · 02/05/2019 22:52

I was the same as Nothingoriginalhere

Did not renew reg after extended maternity leave.
Lots of hands on stuff, minus the bureaucracy, family friendly hours. It was bliss!

IAmRubbishAtDIY · 02/05/2019 22:58

Can I ask why you are all working as HCAs? Why don't you want to work as nurses any more?

Original poster

Babyroobs · 02/05/2019 23:15

I don't mind returning to Nursing but have been out of it a good few months and have lost my confidence. I'm very worried about taking on a new Nursing job maybe with very little support ..

OP posts:

CheekyWeeGobshite · 02/05/2019 23:22

Think very very carefully before giving up your registration, you may never be able to get it back again. You've got a few months to hunt for the right job where you'll be supported to regain your confidence. What are the reasons you left your last nursing role?

wigglypiggly · 03/05/2019 12:53

If you cancel your registration it takes 2 to 6 weeks to re apply if you want to.

wigglypiggly · 03/05/2019 12:55

If you do want to work as an rn in hospital then your training dept might have a refresher, back to acute nursing course. Ours does, nurses from non clinical roles, carehom's, community go on it.

Original poster

Babyroobs · 03/05/2019 17:33

Thanks Cheeky . I left my RN post last April 2017. I was trying to juggle 15 hours of that with 22.5 hours at my other job and it was stressful and I got very burnt out and started feeling very anxious. I have looked at qualified nurse posts but I think I just have this mind set know that they are all going to be awful and stressful and I'm not going to cope. The aim was to Leave nursing but the line of work I have left to go into is quite niche and my current job isn't working out and I need to leave ( probably before I fail probation ). I kind of feel trapped now.

OP posts:

Original poster

Babyroobs · 03/05/2019 17:34

wiggly - thank you I will explore whether my local trust does anything like that.

OP posts:

GRW · 03/05/2019 18:02

Have you thought about working in palliative care? You may find more support to rebuild confidence working outside of the nhs in a hospice. I agree think very carefully before relinquishing your registration.

Original poster

Babyroobs · 03/05/2019 22:25

GRW. I worked in palliative care ( hospice) for the past 13 years of my Nursing career. I definitely don't want to go back to that ! It was extremely busy unsafe environment and they struggled with retention and recruitment .

OP posts:

SlB09 · 03/05/2019 22:34

I work in district nursing and we provide lots of support for return to practice nurses or new nurses into the community with lots of training. It's so frequent to get nurses from the acute side come out into the community into staff nurse posts needing training that it's kind of just a given that it's provided. Plus you haven't been off for that long - the same amount as my maternity leave! And it was like riding a bike, a few days and I was back in the swing. Think long and hard before letting your registration lapse x

Lougle · 03/05/2019 22:59

I looked into this quite extensively before I returned to nursing. I was in the position that I hadn't worked as a nurse for a few years, but still had registration (I renewed my registration just as I took a long maternity break).

I couldn't just walk into a RN job because I hadn't practiced for ages (now I realise I probably could have, but I lacked the confidence). However, all the time I had active Registration I could neither work as a HCA or do a Return to Practice course.

You can't work as a HCA because the terms of The Code apply at all times. You can't abdicate your responsibility under the code some of the time, which means you must be a nurse all the time. You can't step down from those responsibilities.

You can't do a RTP course because you are already a registered nurse. In my case, I had to wait for my registration to lapse, then apply for a RTP course.

If you lapse your registration, then you can work as an HCA. But you can't then use those hours towards revalidation, etc.

Original poster

Babyroobs · 04/05/2019 12:17

Thanks Lougle. It's so hard to know what to do !

OP posts:

Hedgehogparty · 06/05/2019 18:19

Contact the NMC, it may be possible to renew given your previous experience?
You need 450 hours practice, I can’t remember other requirements

I would not give up your qualification if you can avoid it, as it gives you options and is hard to get back.

Original poster

Babyroobs · 06/05/2019 18:38

Hedgehog - I have until October to sort out my re-validation. I have enough practice hours it's just all the other stuff. I have no idea how to get the feedback when I have no Nursing job as I have been doing a non-nursing job for the past year. I feel like I've made a right mess of things !

OP posts:

Hedgehogparty · 06/05/2019 18:43

I’ve messaged you
Phone them and check - I renewed mine while I wasn’t working as a nurse
I don’t know if you can still do that, but a year isn’t that long,
Keep your options open if you can

Lougle · 07/05/2019 17:21

Join the nurse bank at your local hospital and start doing shifts on one ward in particular. Then you'll build up a relationship with the staff and can get your feedback, etc.

IQuit3 · 07/05/2019 19:01

you can get feedback from any colleagues not just nurses for revalidation purposes.

Do you regret leaving nursing? I have thought about it so much due to stress but worry if I wrll regret it and that the grass isn't always greener!

Lillysnotroses · 06/10/2020 15:02

@Nothingoriginalhere

Im an ex nurse, didnt renew registration and work as a hca 18hrs per week at a Gps. Its more common than you'd think!.

Hi I wondering what is it like working as a HCA in a GP?

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