Let's talk about Nurses!

Bigbertha. I could not agree more but, there needs to be more of an incentive. Making student nurses pay for their training (although I understand the bursary has, or will be reintroduced) was big mistake and, may I say, a cruel decision.

To paraphrase; Only the Brave Nurse"
I was amazed when my nurse grandaughter in Devon told me that supermarket shelf stackers earn more than nurses!

Nurses are very under-rated. They work long hours and do a lot of the dirty work.

Another nurse here. Qualifying was the most wonderful day of my life and I always felt enormously proud (if not well paid or appreciated) of my profession never more than now. We never or rarely hear nurses moaning about their lot like some other professions. They just crack on and get the job done often cheerfully, usually tired, often broke, often paying for their own training basic and post basic. What the nursing profession needs is an on going commitment from government to keep training places in line with public need and a commitment to on going professional development something that has never happened yet.

Idiots indeed Tweedle - I think they must be allied to Covid-deniers and other such conspiracy theorists.

Well done BladeAnnie starting at 49!

I was an orthopaedic ward sister for many years.

I have been appalled by the treatment some of the nursing and medical staff are currently receiving from, what I can only call, idiots. Did anyone see the 6pm news showing the cruel messages sent to nursing and medical staff? There were messages like ‘You chose your job, deal with it’ and another saying NHS staff did not have he right to bully and tell people what to do. I can’t imagine what it must do to their morale.

I commend those of you who trained as nurses later in life! An ex coworker of mine trained at 40 to become a nurse and said the same; she should have done it sooner! It's a tough road.

I wish that they would offer some shorter shifts for those nurses that have children. I know here all the shifts are 12 hours unless you are a community nurse. If they could break up some of these 12 hrs into 6hrs I'm sure quite a few nurse/mothers would go back to work with these more manageable hours. We need all the nurses we can get now!

My daughter is a nurse in charge of an ICU - and for the first time since she moved there I can honestly say I’m glad she lives in New Zealand.

My daughter started her nursing degree at 18 and I started mine at 49!! She was a nurse before me and I'm very proud that she's recently been promoted to a ward sister. She is extremely dedicated and often goes without breaks/drinks because of staff shortages etc etc (and never complains!!). Sadly I have had a lot of health problems over the last couple of years so not working at present. My registration is still valid and I am hoping to be able to go back to do something - very part time - soon. I honestly wish I had trained years ago - it was what I was meant to do.

I was a Psychiatric nurse in the "good old days" of the big institutions. My daughter is now a community mental health nurse and how times have changed.
Well done to all those staff on the front line, I'm proud to have been part of a great profession.

Thank you for starting this thread. I am from a family full of nurses. Mum and 3 aunts from their generation. 2 sisters and myself all nurses and my daughter and son’s partner both nurses. I trained at the same time as my daughter (different universities), she was 23 and I was 46 when we qualified. I absolutely love my job but it has changed massively over the past year with Covid. I can’t wait until my patients can see my smile again and I can hear my colleagues properly (you don’t realise how much you rely on lip reading when you have a hearing impairment)
Last spring/summer we were spoilt with home made PPE, fruit, pizzas, cakes etc from the public donations. As a thank you to the local community my lovely colleagues organised a collection of toys to donate to charities in the area at Christmas
I work in a hospice and it is the camaraderie in the team which makes it a great place to work

As an aside, I have many doctors and nurses in the family. My mother trained in her 30s. My aunt (dads sister) was the Practice Nurse at our local health centre. When the Head GP found out she was dad’s sister, he wrote a lovely letter to dad saying what a wonderful nurse she was and how he must be very proud of her.

Sorry, missed out job.

Aah Riverwalk this is excellent stuff!
But then again, I'll always have a soft spot for you due to the donkey in the Durrells

Sparklefizz yes it makes sense to most of us. In fact it keeps being said over and over again.
It is disgraceful that they have to pay for accommodation to enable them to do their I have accommodation they could use for nothing but I am 25miles away from a hospital and our hospitals seem to be coping.
We could do something to make their lives easier and show them they are valued.

PamelaJ1

I was listening to woman’s hour this morning and a nurse was being interviewed. She was saying that she and other nurses weren’t feeling as valued as earlier in the epidemic.
What could be done to show our appreciation of them.
I mean something to make their lives easier not just a clap.

A doctor interviewed on TV said that the way we could show our appreciation of them was to follow the rules and not end up in hospital expecting to be nursed!!

That makes sense to me.

Rosie yes it would but , as you said, that wasn’t what I meant.
I would donate to a travelodge or premier inn room for a medic. Something that would help them now.
Elizabeth there are always some but the majority are really caring, hard working people. It’s unfortunate to come across the ‘others’. Hope you are well now.

Sorry about what I’m going to say about some nurses. While recovering in a local hospital from having a stroke I found just a few angels were nursing while some were needing shoehorned out of the profession. However after my complaint to the charge nurse she came to see me to try and address the problems I encountered. She was one of the very best it’s a pity the nurses on her ward didn’t follow her lead. I had a real face off with a member of staff when she refused to give me my piece of cake given to me by my daughter she just said you can’t have it no one else has one ———what do you say to that?

We have local people collecting and delivering food, such as peelable fruit, cereal bars etc.that can be eaten when meal breaks are not always an option. Earlier in the year, local restaurants would deliver takeaway meals, free of charge, to our local hospital. Also, the scout hall was open for people to donate groceries etc. for NHS to grab when coming off duty. I agree the yearly £120 registration should be reduced to a token £10. Surely, they’ll get a salary increase? There will be a public outcry if this doesn’t happen.

Rosie51 well I would if I could but, unfortunately I can’t.

PamelaJ1 no I know none of us can, but wouldn't that be a nice gesture if the nursing and midwifery council did?

I did realise that it would be more the funding food/accommodation you meant. Don't most hospitals have funds for staff? I know we've certainly sent cheques to various hospitals to say thank you for treatment in the past, asking that it be used for the staff of a particular ward.

Praise indeed to all nurses. I have signed a petition for nurses’ pay to be increased.

Talking of providing treats for NHS staff, does anyone know how Captain Tom’s fund has been used? At the start, I heard about providing treats when they ended their shifts and some small comforts in their staff rooms, but it has all gone very quiet.

They should have free hot meals provided on site so they can go home with full tummies and not empty and starving.

Gagajo, rather than pizza, clapping or any other gestures, I'll be voting and campaigning for better long term pay and working conditions - for all NHS staff.

Remember this?

skwawkbox.org/2020/03/27/video-the-moment-tory-mps-cheered-as-they-blocked-a-pay-rise-for-nurses/

My lovely DiL starts her nurse training next week (I think a lot of it will be online to start with at least) I’m incredibly proud of her - I think she’ll make a fabulous, kind and compassionate nurse. I admire and thank anyone in the health service - where would we be without them? They should be held in high esteem and suitably rewarded.

Yes silverlining, OR donating towards the cost of their hotel accomodation. I would be happy to give.