Don't study nursing in N.ireland

Robothell

NAR wrote: »

I can assure you layers of management are being reduced. Also a number of jobs are being downgraded and people being forced to apply for their own jobs in a downgraded position.

I agree. The NHS is globally underfunded - and what funds are there are sometimes put to questionable use in an inefficient manner. I cannot see this situation being sustained folks, I would price health insurance soon cos you're gonna need it in five years or so.

itsmylife_2

I'm a nurse, one of the first to go through the Queens education, its not really a case of not studying Nursing in Northern Ireland, its more the UK all over... last year this scenario was being reported in England too. Things have changed since I qualified - when I finished I worked for an agency for 6 months and had my pick of the jobs, I could have worked 70 hours a week if I had wanted. Now I know that many of the newly qualified ones are struggling to get jobs. That said, I find myself 6 years qualified as one of the senior members of staff on the ward! I know, totally ridiculous. See part of the problem is that the more experienced members of staff are so utterly fed up with the way things are that they are moving on to community posts or out of the NHS entirely, leaving wards seriously lacking in experience... even some who have only been qualified a few years have left stating that they would rather work elsewhere for the minimum wage than work in the NHS any longer. I have found myself contemplating much lower paid jobs, just so I don't have to put up with the daily rubbish, and the ridiculous responsibility that is placed on us. Believe me, if I could afford not to do nursing I would be out of there in a shot, and it is a real shame, because I started nursing for the right reasons, to care for others... unfortunately its not turned out that way for me and many others. Plus they are kicking us in the teeth with the way they are staggering our pay rise this year, meaning we are getting paid less than the rate of inflation. So its not just newly qualified who are thoroughly fed up, its most of us...

All I can say is keep applying for jobs, and you do find that come September that they miraculously find a certain number of posts that they need to fill...

Rant over from me... lol...

leftieM

Robothell wrote: »

At this stage I would like to quote Eric Idle:
"All the information age has given is weight to the uninformed opinion".

Consider wrist duly slapped doctor.

You guys do okay. Maybe we all look up and see who is above us and feel deprived but perhaps you should look down once in a while - most people earn far less than you do.

Robothell

Sorry if I was short with you Leftie, it just pains me sometimes when people assume all doctors are arrogant, selfish, sanctimonious snobs on massive paychecks. I've been in the NHS for 5 years and to be honest, between paying off my student loans, my mortgage and a car loan I have very little left at the end of the month. I realise that there are many people worse off than me but when I see my plumber mate in his new BMW and fancy house I can't help but feel a little bitter.

To go back to nurses: they work for 3 years through university on a pitance of a bursary (OK, they don't have to get loans but they work long hours for that money) and then, if they are lucky enough to get a job start on a salary of about £18,000 a year. Now bear in mind that's working night shifts, weekends, bank holidays etc. For a graduate wage that's scandalous - and it doesn't actually go up that much with promotions and experience. I have worked as a care assistant in a nursing home for a while and believe me, it's back breaking work - wiping bottoms, cleaning up vomit, taking abuse from all and sundry - it takes a special kind of person to do that and not become the world's grumpiest bu$*er! I certainly couldn't do it for any length of time! Add to this the fact that this year all NHS workers were yet again given a sub-inflation payrise (ie. a pay cut) and they wonder why morale is low?!?

isaacsmum

NAR wrote: »

I can assure you layers of management are being reduced. Also a number of jobs are being downgraded and people being forced to apply for their own jobs in a downgraded position.

I can assure you they are not!
The PCT I work for has at least 6 layers of management in the Provider directorate - thats the management resposible for nurses - and then the next layer down who are senior nurses with many years experience and have a management role part time alnog side their clinical role and clinical leadership are to be made into full time managers - I know, because I am one of the senior nurses!
To quote one of the assistant directors - "we haven't had to make savings (in managemnet costs) so we haven't!"

itsmylife_2

With regards to management in the area that I work in, just within one directorate we have the directorate manager, an assistant directorate manager (who was a very senior nurse) and another senior nurse who's fancy pants title escapes me right now... they sit in the directorate offices along with consultants secretaries and push pens/ drink coffee all day, then each ward has their ward manager (aka sister) who does not do anything on the ward clinically - more pen pushers, and then there is the junior ward manager who is expected to do managerial work as well as clinical, and they still have the cheek to try and fob "managerial" work, such as working out staff rotas onto the ward nurses. I have spent my free time at home ringing around other members of staff (with my own phone bill) to try and get shifts covered. Yet we have so many people in management...

So technically within our unit that has 7 wards (2 of which are day wards) there are 10 managers that do nothing but admin and another 7 who are expected to do admin on top of being on the wards. That doesn't count in the various secretaries/ward clerks that are available to them.

oooh better stop there... I'm getting cross...

oh and I have to say to Robothell, I can completely see where you are coming from, a lot of people think that Doctors are all well off, but in my experience they are not, people don't seem to realise what you guys have to do, such as the continual exams and fees that you have to pay... never mind the overwhelming responsibility...

ka7e

To go back to nurses: they work for 3 years through university on a pitance of a bursary (OK, they don't have to get loans but they work long hours for that money)

Nurses training for a Diploma get a reasonable (ish) bursary. Those following a degree course have a reduced bursary (approx. £3000) and most need to top-up with a loan. Both courses usually run for at least 45 weeks per year, and 50% of training is done on placements (where students are often used as supplementary, not supernumary staff!).

everythingblogcast

Its Tony Blair and Gordon Browns fault wasting money on other countries rather then the NHS and eduction in their own country the country that is funding them. We the people should get those two in jail bread and water for the rest of time for crimes against the people.

harry4444

As a nurse of 28 years I recently was admitted to Northern Ireland's top orthopaedic hospital for a knee replacement. Unfortunately my stay left me totally disillusioned and sad to experience first hand the severe decline in nursing care. It was necessary following my surgery to stay in the high dependency ward for my first night post operatively and then return to the admitting ward for the next 2 days. In both wards the nursing staff spent most of their time gossiping at the nursing station which resulted in my inability to get a good nights sleep for 3 out of 4 nights. The day staff behaved similarly and were lacking in consideration for their patients and I feared for the future of nursing on my discharge. Fortunately--or unfortunately due to complications I required re-admission to another hospital a few days later to a different hospital just outside Belfast. Here I was teated with dignity and respect by ALL staff who could not have been more caring and considerate which re-ignited my enthusiasm for the profession.
At a time when pay is poor and morale is low--try to remember primarily why you came into the caring profession in the first place--TO CARE.

Parisien

pookie5488 wrote: »

BTW 12 nurses from the course got a job in one belfast hospital last year and on their first day they were joined by 24 foreign nurses!!!
Absolute madness

Dare we guess how many "foreign" managers they recruit to work locally?

Yeah, none....why........usually because these muppet jobs can be done by most simpletons and theres plenty of those in the NHS!

Secondly, anyone stupid enough to think working in the NHS is a worthwhile career, is delusional - hence why we are treated so badly....cos we aren't very bright but completely naive and just another pair of hands....yeah I work in the NHS too!

Just glad I have my 25 yrs in!