Nursing help please !

[jop67]

Hi

I have been qualified for 4 years now ( adult )

I started off on a surgical ward. Not long after qualifying I moved into a rather niche area of nursing ( telephone advisory) think 111 but as-well as clinical triage we do coaching calls for patient medication support programmes .

I now want to return to face to face practice . My current job pays the equivalent of a junior band 6 (once weekend enhancements are on ) i can work comfortably part time .

I have an interview for a community post within school nursing ( they have assured me it's a developmental role and you would be put through the specialist practitioner training around a year after working there) so to start with it is a band 5. I am worried that If I was to be successful at interview I would be on less money( I don't work for nhs so not sure if they would match my current salary) plus it's 4 days so 4 full days of childcare costs ( currently we only pay for childcare 2 mornings as I work a weekend day in which partner is here )

I have been applying also for some band 6 jobs I was successful in gaining a Clinical nurse specialist interview but unfortunately this job was only a 1 year temporary so I didn't attend the interview as I need more security.

My current job is quite soul destroying at times we are work from home we work 12.5 shifts and have to tell everyone when we are going to the toilet and the timer is on. It is very much a call centre role . I don't feel like a healthcare professional at all as I am mostly doing non nursing related phone calls like scheduling and other issues answering the phone apologising for nurses being late and passing messages on to the nursing teams.

Does anyone have any advice on alternative nursing roles or whether it would be worth taking a pay cut for progression?

I should say my daughter is nearly 2 so currently the hours suit me ( 2 long days ). I was offered a job on an nhs Ward they matched my salary but could not accommodate set days for childcare. So I do feel a little stuck.

Any advice would be welcomed .

In all honesty, stick with your current job for now.

Front line nursing is currently bloody awful. No set routines, sent to work in different areas or shunted out to do work in 'hubs'.

Also, with the next wave of Covid looming, everything is set on 'high alert' so extremely stressed out staff and management (cos the human body can only keep up the 'fight or flight' level of stress for so long !) or totally exhausted/deflated staff.......................

I'd stay where you are until Covid is a memory.

@updownroundandround thank you for the advice it is appreciated . My interview is mid October and I have to give 3 months notice so I may still interview.. don't feel the same since I returned from mat leave I have to say I feel over looked and can't see me progressing here at all. It's so horrible though I don't want to go full time for mental health reasons there's only so much explaining to people that I'm going to the toilet and calls being recorded and marked that I can take in the week lol

I hope you are ok @updownroundandround and sorry if I sound all me me me I recognise that my " struggles" are absolutely nothing compared to you all on the front line of it

@ jop67

Thanks for that

But honestly, it's a shit show just now, so you're much better off riding Covid out in your current job. It looks like it's going to get much worse this winter too.

I'm quite sure that old Boris will be calling on all suitably trained nurses (including school nurses) to be the frontline this winter in the huge increase in providing the flu immunisation to the public.

The massive increase in people who will qualify to receive the flu jab will be bad enough, but the fact that all GP surgeries will NOT be providing this service this year will mean that pop up immunisation clinics will have to be organised and staffed. It's being said that these clinics will be set up in community centres etc ( and will no doubt be set for stupid times too )

It's going to be pure pandemonium

Very very similar story to yours.
Clinical b5, specialist nurse b7 role but due to high childcare costs on return from mat leave with only full time hours, I had to look elsewhere.
111 was perfect, evenings & weekends very good pay on part time hours.
Stuck it out for 2 years but honestly couldn’t bear another minute of it, it was beyond horrendous.
So on my days off I got a little bench role, did a couple of set days a week in one area.
Did this for about 6 months then applied for permanent with set days.
Handed notice into 111 and got back to permanent work within a clinical setting.
Kept my ear to the ground and now am back in a b7 post, flexible working, child in school so no childcare fees.

Just bide your time, keep your eyes peeled and the right thing will present itself.

It works out ok in the end.

Oh and yes, I agree with the pp re how horrendous clinical is currently, it really is bad so don’t rush into anything.

I'm not sure school nursing would be as awful as some other nursing roles? My friend is a school nurse and her job hasn't really been affected by covid plus she has a term time contract so has all the school holidays off...

There isn't much difference (?any) between top of band 5 and bottom of band 6. I went from a b5 role to a b6 role a year ago, I lost the weekend enhancements and the money is exactly the same.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies I am currently private though so not sure if nhs would put pay be bottom of band 5 rather than match my currently salary.

@Girliefriendlikespuppies so if I left current job 30k would I be put straight onto 24k with nhs.. anyway this is app premature I know as I haven't interviewed yet

Thank you for sharing @Pickypolly I thought 111 would be just as bad as what I am doing ( I had an interview there recently ) . Did you have to inform you were on the toilet too plus constant call auditing and ringing you whilst your on a call

What area are you in now @Pickypolly if you don't mind me asking ?

Yes to toilet time and yes to call audits, very strict.
It’s relentless, overwhelming and stressful work.
A misunderstood and abused service which is a shame because in principle, a brilliant concept and when used appropriately, can make a massive difference to people.

My field is very specialised, my previous experience there was extensive so I have returned to what I was born to do.
It’s taken me years though.

You are likely to be back at bottom rung b5 pay unless you specifically ask to not be.
I was successfully placed on top rung b5 pay on my return but only because I asked.

Most places will accommodate set shifts, such is the desperation to fill in the huge staffing gaps, they will bend over backwards to have the staff in position. So if the first place you went to don’t, there will be another 10 that will.
“Family friendly” they call it....until it’s Christmas and new year rota then it’s a bun fight shit show where set shifts go right out the window and you will need to be very very flexible. & accommodate their needs instead.
Good luck with it.

@updownroundandround

@ jop67

Thanks for that

But honestly, it's a shit show just now, so you're much better off riding Covid out in your current job. It looks like it's going to get much worse this winter too.

I'm quite sure that old Boris will be calling on all suitably trained nurses (including school nurses) to be the frontline this winter in the huge increase in providing the flu immunisation to the public.

The massive increase in people who will qualify to receive the flu jab will be bad enough, but the fact that all GP surgeries will NOT be providing this service this year will mean that pop up immunisation clinics will have to be organised and staffed. It's being said that these clinics will be set up in community centres etc ( and will no doubt be set for stupid times too )

It's going to be pure pandemonium

This isn't true! I work in a Gp surgery 12000 patient's registered, and we are doing all our own flu'. 6 saturday all day clinics, plus housebound plus opportunistic in clinics - and qe were ooen with full clinics throughout the qhole thing. Also our doors weren't locked ever..... so sick of GP bashing I see (HCA - ex nurse) 30-40 f2f every day and have done throughout. I haven't heard of a single GP surgery NOT doing their own flu's

In support of Nothing above, our GP is open and is doing flu clinics.
In fact our GP surgery is well beloved in our (huge) community, really in awe of their fabulousness.
Carry on your fantastic work nothing and colleagues, no GP bashing from me

@Pickypolly yes the toilet time has become even more obvious since working from home in which we have a running commentary on teams all day telling everyone when we are going to the toilet ( aswell as putting it on the phone system so management know anyone and it's timed) it's just unpleasant.
Thanks yes the other job offer they offered me more than my current salary even though it was advertised as a band 5 but wouldn't budge on the shifts for my daughter . So wanted one random and one set so I had to decline.

I OP I’m a band 7 NP and also manage a team. With regards to your salary I have had this before when interviewing and appointing moving people between sectors with varying outcomes in theory you would need to go back in at the bottom but a discussion with manager/HR given you do have previous NHS experience etc could see you put in higher up the band. Its sometimes worth taking a cut if you can afford it to get back into the NHS as there are progression opportunities and support with CPD/revalidation etc. I now have some help with my shifts (compressed hours and set days) and this is becoming easier to negotiate generally as places are in need of reliable staff but you may need to get a foot in the door before places will consider this. Hours and set shifts often boil down to individual managers and the situation with their current staff so it’s worth scoping it pre interview. In my team we all do set shifts but equally that suited us all and everyone could agree on their days etc so I was happy to implement it. I would really recommend getting on your local bank/agency if possible as no recent clinical experience could be the one thing that goes against you when up against others at interview especially for band 6 and above roles (no relevant in the school nursing job but others if you see something that takes your fancy in the hospital setting). Also you may find yourself very much in at the deep end if you went into a CNS role in the hospital with no recent clinical experience and not necessarily anyone to support you depending on the area (the CNS’s in my team regularly support the wards over winter pressures etc but are very autonomous in their own roles as they are all very specialised). The other advantage of bank being you can pick and choose when to pick up shifts around childcare and will get your mandatory training/trust induction up to speed. I have several friends who are health visitors who were called back to the hospital during covid (they did have acute/ITU experience) so I don’t think any role is particularly safe from the current pandemic but this is just my experience. Hope that helps in some way and good luck!

@Itsalwayssunnyupnorth thank you that's very helpful. To be honest I am unsure if I should I leave nursing and find something loosely connected . I can't afford to take a pay cut . Feel so lost since having my daughter job wise everyone tells me oh it's just a means to an end whilst she is little but surely I can't be miserable in a job I hate , I feel toddler would benefit from a happier mum surely . I am happy with her and enjoy our days etc but feel dread a few days before the shift. Partner works monday- Friday earns less then me. He wants me to be happy and would pay half childcare costs ( we put our money pretty much together anyway) should we need to increase the days but things will be tight . Yes I know what you mean about being thrown in the deep end I experienced that when I qualified being sent to different wards I suspect that will still go on but the expectation will be that I can just crack on with it if I was a band 6

@jop67
I know what you mean I went back to a job I hated after having my DS and it was a nightmare I worked 3 days and did them in a row and then would spend my 4 days off dreading my next block back at work it really isn’t good for your head! I only stayed as I was completing my prescribing course so would have been stupid to leave the fixed days and completing my course. I always think people who say ‘it’s a means to an end’ haven’t been in the position where they hate/dread going to work and the impact that has on the rest of your life. I was lucky as soon as I completed my prescribing I got my current job and negotiated a shortened notice period so got out very quick in the end. With regards to childcare you may already have looked into/used these things but the tax free childcare account from the gov reduces your bill by 20% and my nursery also does a 5% nhs discount which they don’t really advertise but I found out from a colleague who uses the same place may be worth asking. Also bear in mind it’s short term pain for long term gain e.g. paying for another year of childcare then your daughter will get her funded childcare hours the term after turning 3 which makes a huge difference! I upped my DCs nursery by one day per week as he was about 6 months off getting his funded hours when I took my new job so it was an initial pinch but got me where I wanted to be long term. Nursing is such a love hate thing I find, there are aspects I absolutely love and others I hate but the great thing is it is so vast in areas to choose from that you will find something that fits you and your family it may just be a bit of trial and error.

I would take a longer term view....

If you go for the B5 job, you can rise up the ranks fairly quickly in nursing. Factor in the salary, holiday, pension, etc. and it really isn't too awful. What are your current career prospects and benefits like? Is it as good as the NHS?

The fixed term B6 role would have given you good experience. If you had made good contacts you might have found this had led into something else as natural progression. Failing that, a B6 role on your CV would have looked pretty good.

What area of the country do you live in? Have you done anything outside nursing? I think you would be lucky to find a job paying £30k without direct experience. It's pretty tough out there at the moment and private sector is cut throat. If you want some sort of certainty I would stick with the NHS.

You have surgical nursing experience and you've been qualified four years so I imagine you wouldn't be placed on the bottom of band 5, even if you needed to negotiate a bit. I agree with a PP that it's probably best if you stay put for now. I'm a band 5 in ITU, qualified three years and the first lot of covid was hell. Is there a possibility you could be drafted onto the surgical wards if you got the school nurse job and covid strikes badly again? I know a girl who left us two years ago to do her health visitor training and she was brought back to itu during covid.

Although I also think if there is a way you can work around this, and you really want the school nursing job, then you should go for it! I'm thinking of going into the community tbh but the lack of ppe community nurses had during covid really puts me off and god knows how long this will be around. Maybe I've been spoiled with my red ppe

I’m an immunisation nurse and it’s lovely. Top of band 5, term time, good flexibility, Nhs pension and benefits. I leave the job at the door when I leave. ‘‘Tis very nice.