Author Topic: A nurses tale  (Read 952 times)

klondike

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A nurses tale
« on: Oct 10, 2020, 01:43:11 PM »
I've heard similar before.

This is a story of life as an NHS nurse during the pandemic lockdown and since. Considering the numerous roles mentioned I'm assuming that this is an agency nurse. It could be baloney but it rings very very true to me. Quite long but IMO worth a read if only some of it. I won't comment myself until others have.

https://lockdownsceptics.org/2020/10/10/latest-news-exclusive/
So long and thanks for all the fish

biglouis

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #1 on: Oct 10, 2020, 04:52:22 PM »
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”  
-Joseph Goebbels
 
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Ashy

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #2 on: Oct 10, 2020, 05:09:43 PM »
You can never be sure who is lying. But facts are facts and the NHS did reduce (or has reduced) its service to the public. Some wards and departments were closed. Some doctors are still sitting at home full time.

klondike

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #3 on: Oct 10, 2020, 06:07:01 PM »
One of the reasons I nipped back home was because the GP had requested a blood test out of the blue. I opted to use the hospital because they used to be a walk in service but then found it was now appointment and the slots were 10 mins each.


As the hospital parking is normally terrible I walked from a supermarket car park and arrived half an hour early. I asked if they would prefer me to wait outside but the receptionist said no and gave me a numbered ticket which is exactly how they used to do it. I was in and out and home before my appointment time.  


The test was about 10:45. I got a call from the doctors at 6:00pm asking me to make a phone appointment and also bring in a urine sample. (I'd forgotten when my medicine review was last done).


This is all about getting me on statins and came well before my review is due.


The hospital blood taking service was only running on a single cylinder as it is usually rammed and there were at most 5 there waiting when I arrived. The doctors appear to be on a make work program.


I fully believe what that nurse was saying - the NHS is working well below capacity and doubtless many will be suffering because of that.
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GrannyMac

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #4 on: Oct 10, 2020, 06:57:56 PM »
I know my daughter was doing some different work to normal for a while.  She manages a team now, but at the start of the virus she and others with critical care experience were expected to help on the Covid ward if necessary. It was busy for a period, then quietened down.

A lot of her small specialist team's work is with post op patients, and many of the non urgent ops were rescheduled.
They also support people with chronic conditions. So although their workload lessened for a while, it picked up once routine ops were being scheduled again.  She's never had a period of nothing to do. 

I suppose it depends on how different hospitals or even wards are being run.   Agency nurses shouldn't be employed if there's not enough work for permanent staff.  IMO.
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klondike

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #5 on: Oct 10, 2020, 07:15:04 PM »
Must say I thought that too. Would you say my guess that this is an agency nurse is correct?
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GrannyMac

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #6 on: Oct 10, 2020, 09:11:34 PM »
Yes.
Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right.

R. Gervais

Michael Rolls

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #7 on: Oct 10, 2020, 09:21:09 PM »
Agency staff - the bane of any budget holders life. I'm 25 years and more off the scene but back in the day we tried to maintain an alternative 'bank' nurses who could be employed at NHS rates - but it was quite a balancing act back then - don't know if it is still practised
Mike
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zoony

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #8 on: Oct 10, 2020, 09:30:05 PM »
Yes Mike. Badly. 'Specially when it comes to night staff who obviously have day jobs and spend as much time asleep as possible. Mind you, that's not just the agency staff. Big pet hate of mine..
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

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Michael Rolls

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #9 on: Oct 10, 2020, 09:41:47 PM »
Understandable. Night coverage was always a cause for argument in 'normal' wards as opposed to ICU and the like. A member of a club of which I was chairman (this was well after I had retired) had a heart attack - thankfully not serious - and I visited him and chatted to the nursing staff, to learn that at night his ward was twinned with another with just two staff on duty to cover both. This meant neither nurse could leave other than for the very briefest period, obviously, and they had no facility even to make a hot drink. Told the story and the club had a whip round and presented the two wards with a coffee making machine each. Hogging the limelight, I got the local paper to send a reporter/photographer to immortalise me presenting the machines to the staff - fame at last!
Mike
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zoony

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #10 on: Oct 10, 2020, 10:02:37 PM »
So each ward had one nurse(?) but they came together every time two staff were needed which logically means that both wards were unattended from time to time throughout the night?.. Not a risk I'd've taken I'm afraid and the coffee-maker instead of a proper break is pretty offensive..I mean no offence..
The amount of noise and light at night on some of the wards I've been on have been an issue not to mention the brusqueness of some of the nursing staff. Not carers, qualified nurses.
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.

Michael Rolls

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #11 on: Oct 10, 2020, 10:07:47 PM »
So each ward had one nurse(?) but they came together every time two staff were needed which logically means that both wards were unattended from time to time throughout the night?.. Not a risk I'd've taken I'm afraid and the coffee-maker instead of a proper break is pretty offensive..I mean no offence..
The amount of noise and light on some of the wards I've been on have been an issue not to mention the brusqueness of some of the nursing staff. Not carers, qualified nurses.
That's it - can't say I was impressed, but I was long retired by then, and it wasn't my district even if I had still been in harness. Agree about the break, but again, I felt the coffee makers were a lot better than nothing.
Mike
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Michael Rolls

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #12 on: Oct 10, 2020, 10:15:16 PM »
Mind you, the best example of the bean counter mentality was told to me by a friend of ours who was, at the time, the Chief Nursing Officer for the Portsmouth hospitals. One management team meeting the treasurer was on holiday and his deputy stood in. He presented his brilliant idea for reducing nursing costs. There was, he explained to the incredulous, overlaps between nursing shifts and the nurses took staggered meal breaks. If the overlaps were done away with, and all nurses took their breaks at the same time considerable savings could be achieved. I would love to have been in that room when Bronwyn, our friend, went to work on him! I don't know how long the guy had been in post, but the thought that a senior finance officer could come up with such stupidity makes me tremble!


Mike
Thank you for the days, the days you gave me.
The older I get, the better I was!

Michael Rolls

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #13 on: Oct 10, 2020, 10:16:35 PM »
Come to think of it, perhaps he is now advising the government re covid!!!
Mike
Thank you for the days, the days you gave me.
The older I get, the better I was!

zoony

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Re: A nurses tale
« Reply #14 on: Oct 10, 2020, 10:52:53 PM »
The mind boggles.. If only it were an isolated example..But perhaps that's for another day.
"Listen to the wind, it cleans the mind."

"Never use money to measure wealth, son"

                                           cowboy wisdom.