Has anyone done the Return to Nursing Practice course (or have any knowledge of)?

[shadypines]

I have not nursed (ex NHS, last post HDU Sister for 3 yrs, qualified 1988) ....since 2006 and wondered what this course entails? How has nursing changed? Back in the day it was still very much 95% female with the old style terrifying matrons and some wards bordering on an army camp etc.

Any info gratefully received.

[HappyHammy]

What sort of area would you be looking at, at ,least in itu there will be other trained staff on site. On the general ward you could find yourself being the only rn on duty. Especially at nights, managers look at staffing and move people around so you often end up working in an area that's not your speciality. Expect to see various managers many times during the shift, bed managers, site managers, unit managers, matron but none of them are there to help you. Some patients get discharged before they are really ready to go home and it's a major disruption if there are too many patients in too few beds. Expect to move beds, lockers several times a day. The phones never stop ringing, the ward manager or 6 will be up to their eyes in paperwork. Very sick patients will be nursed on general wards and you will have to have up to date acute courses, iv drugs, advanced cpr, transferable skills so you can work anywhere. You will wear trousers and a tunic or scrubs, hardly anyone will call you by your title, it's all very informal. You might get a short break if you're lucky and your brain will be in overdrive when you get home so you wont get much sleep.

[shadypines]

Your arse will not touch a toilet seat for the duration of your 12 hour shift.

I hear you Crosser, I've done that shift and still got off at least half an hour late! I wouldn't go back to that environment if you paid me a million pounds. If I returned I would want something far easier on mind, soul and body!

[crosser62]

It’s not improved unfortunately.
ICS guidelines are still 1 nurse to 2 patients in HDU , however of those two part one of them could be ventilated or on high flow, the other on haemofiltration with the occasional inatrope thrown into the mix.
Goal posts moved accordingly and liberally.
You are often on shift with 6 patients, you and a very junior nurse and a hca, that’s it. Your arse will not touch a toilet seat for the duration of your 12 hour shift. So do what we do, don’t have a drink at all because you know you are going to need a wee at some point and it’s not safe to go for one. You can’t leave that newly qualified nurse on her own with 6 very sick patents even for 3 minutes.
Yes, you will still weep at the end of your shift.
Welcome back!

[shadypines]

Oh my word Crosser62 this was me, the weeping nurse at the end of another short staffed shift back in 2001 , I shouldn't be surprised to learn it has got no better!

Thank you for your replies, I'm still on the look out for a positve story/answer though....is there one out there?!!

[shadypines]

Thank you Stressy!

[TooStressyTooMessy]

Hi OP, the thread I assume crosser is talking about is here. I warn you it is not happy reading.

[shadypines]

I'm sorry I can't find it crosser62, I looked on active threads?

#should have gone to specsavers.......

[crosser62]

Hi, there is a whole thread about this that you can have a look out at the top of the active threads.
It will help you to make an informed decision about returning.