Ageism In Nursing

BattleA21, That's a long time to have worked in a hospital ward,
and to now have to work 12 hour shifts seems a bit much, why is it changing now, is it staff shortage?, I would feel the same as you. I retired at 60yr and I felt that I just couldn't have gone another year, they love to get their pound of flesh.

If you have continuous service does this mean you have an nhs pension to add to your oap one?
Does seem harsh that there’s no part time options for you at over 60 in what is a physically demanding job.

I finally retired from the NHS this April after 50 year. However I did Bank work for the last 10 years.
I wasn't a Nurse ( but a Cardiac Physiologist) we had to do Oncall for the Cath Labs.
I fully understand your dilemma I have lots of chums (including my own sister) who are Nurses.
I did not want to do on call anymore, dragged out of bed at some crazy hour, possibly stay in work then work a normal day, it was fine when I was much younger, but No not now.
However, I was able to take my pension and work Bank I would just tell them what I would work. A couple of my Nursing chums did similar but they went back part time, so an odd night shift or 12 hour shift wasn't so bad. They found it beneficial they took their pension, had a part time hours salary but they had time, the money overall was slightly better, as they didn't pay into the pension fund.
Best of luck hope you get a good outcome.

Is the 12 hour shift system being introduced for all ward areas in your hospital BattleA21, or only on the ward you work on? If not everywhere, you could ask for a transfer to another ward? If it’s everywhere, you might want to consider transfer to a community hospital, where it’s less likely shift patterns will be imposed because they find it harder to recruit on that basis? Nurses are a valuable resource, and I’m sure you’ll find something which suits both you and the service if you spread your net wider than your existing ward.

It appears to be a cost cutting exercise to prevent there being a cross over of shifts from 12.00-15.00. But this cross over time has always been a period in the day to catch up with tasks like admin and dressings etc.
However, when a substantive member of staff goes off sick on a 12 hour shift, which happens a lot they then have to pay them sick pay plus pay another person to cover the shift hence it failed when trialled previously.
I am staff bank so I'm cheap as The Trust does not pay me sick time or annual leave as such.

Do I want a nurse who is coming to the end of a 12 hour shift looking after me when I am very ill?
I don’t think so.

I work in a community hospital and the initiative is across The Trust and I believe has been introduced nationally.

I presume the unions have something to say?

And about the outcome to senior people in particular?

12 hour shifts are a killer especially when you are older, I'm not surprised that you don't want to have to do them. I'm surprised the hospital can force you to. I don't know what your NHS pension situation is but if you can manage it OK I'd probably think about going part time and topping up with some bank work and if you need to, I think you could probably add extra into your existing pension if you are still working on contract. Worth a check anyway.
I'm sure some nurses won't mind doing fewer but longer shifts but for those that do, hopefully the union is fighting your corner. Forcing nurses to go part time or do bank work is really not helpful, the NHS does not look after it's staff.

I do have a NHS pension which I took aged 55 but in the current cost of living climate its does not cover living costs and believe me I do not take holidays or live an extravagant lifestyle. I have covered staff shortages for 8 years but stopped nights and long days a while back as the years working have not been kind to my back.

I have thought about contacting my union but part of me does not have the fight in me anymore.
I have found whenever you take on a battle it takes a lot out of you and causes a lot of worry,

One of the good things about working on the bank is that you can accept and refuse shifts to suit you, but the down side is that you have no say in how the place you work at organises shifts. I would seriously think about telling the Bank organiser that you are prepared to work on other wards or in other hospitals, but only for 8 hour shifts. I’m sure you’ll soon find a niche where you are needed on a regular basis.

BattleA21

I have thought about contacting my union but part of me does not have the fight in me anymore.
I have found whenever you take on a battle it takes a lot out of you and causes a lot of worry,

Quite understandable.

I would have thought there must be thousands of people in your position.
Many of which contacting them, if only to raise their disquiet,

It would be good to contact your union. NHS should be making accommodations for individual workers with health needs. Being older and having less stamina is important. As someone else has said you will not be alone. The union will have lots of others in a similar situation.

My mother has been in hospital for a month and I visit daily and have built a relationship with the nurses and the health care assistants and yes they do a 12 hour shift plus the admin on changeover . I can’t fault the staff at this hospital.

What about going down the reasonable adjustments route? I believe you can make 1 request each 6 months so you could think what works and also speak to occupational health if you're struggling. I do sympathise I'm now doing 4x9 hour days and a 4 hour day on Friday in my new job it's been a shock going up from previously working 4x7 hour days in my last job but needs must.

When I worked as a ward clerk on a busy Maternity department the older midwives felt as BattleA21 feels now. The 12 hour shifts were taking their toll and they petitioned the bosses into reinstating an 8 hour shift system as they had followed a few years previously. Not only would 8 hours be more manageable but many young midwives were leaving because 12 hour shifts did not dovetail very well with a young family. It would not have had any impact on patient care but the bosses refused.

12 hour shifts are a young persons job, there are plenty of other alternative options in the NHS, maybe not as rewarding or important but you have to care for your own well-being and not hang on until the end.
My wife threw the towel in on the NHS at 58, now happy working in a supermarket on flexible shifts

Banks nurses are not employed on the same basis as regular employees, typically there is no guaranteed work, so unless you have a contract which does guarantee you a minimum number of hours per week, unfortunately I doubt that the union would take up your case.

I guess you have choices....choices that people with regular contracts done have....so you could choose community bank shiftss or out patients.....with shorter shifts .....I don't think the system for long days is ageism .....many younger and older people prefer 3 long days as they get more off duty days .....I get you prefer ward work so its a shame for you...but long days are here to stay....they been around for years in our hospitals (NW) ....people on old contracts have their shorter shift patterns protected....but once they retire and return , that protection is lost

A friend had a very good career working in a local BUPA hospital and I wonder if that’s an option for you?
Another friend couldn’t cope at all with her senior medical role in the NHS and retrained.

As ronib suggests, have you considered a private hospital or even a residential care home?
Our local hospital Trust has had 12 hour shift rotas on the wards for years now, since the Agenda for Change was introduced.

12 hours is a very long time to do a shift. My son was recently in hospital for 3 weeks and we got to know many of the staff and I was really surprised when they told us about their long shifts. I will say they were all younger staff though. How can anybody be fresh and alert after 12 hours.

I do think the NHS treats its experienced older nurses very poorly. Experienced hands should be valued- and their skills better employed- not potentially lost due to poor staff management! It makes me rather cross on your behalf!
The choice is to look elsewhere but using your skill set, or take early retirement ( and start your nhs pension) and go back as a part timer or bank as available.