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Nurses already do hands-on work and of course we care about patients Nurses already do hands-on work and of course we care about patients
(6 months later)
The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has announced that nurses must spend up to a year helping patients with basic care. As a student nurse, I already do this. My alarm goes off at 5.30am and I am in my ward for 7am. For the next 13 hours I work alongside my mentor who teaches me the responsibilities of nursing. These will include, feeding, washing, dressing, performing observations, administering drugs, preparing IV drugs, wound dressing, admission and discharging of patients, pre- and post-operation care, working with deteriorating patients, catheterisation and preparing and giving injections. Not to mention dealing with the emotional needs of individual patients.The health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has announced that nurses must spend up to a year helping patients with basic care. As a student nurse, I already do this. My alarm goes off at 5.30am and I am in my ward for 7am. For the next 13 hours I work alongside my mentor who teaches me the responsibilities of nursing. These will include, feeding, washing, dressing, performing observations, administering drugs, preparing IV drugs, wound dressing, admission and discharging of patients, pre- and post-operation care, working with deteriorating patients, catheterisation and preparing and giving injections. Not to mention dealing with the emotional needs of individual patients.
Most of these duties used to be performed by doctors, but because of people living longer and the growing complexity of medicine, nurses have taken some of these responsibilities. In turn, healthcare assistants (HCAs) have been employed to perform some of the tasks of nurses. I have never had such a "hands-on" learning experience in any of my previous jobs.Most of these duties used to be performed by doctors, but because of people living longer and the growing complexity of medicine, nurses have taken some of these responsibilities. In turn, healthcare assistants (HCAs) have been employed to perform some of the tasks of nurses. I have never had such a "hands-on" learning experience in any of my previous jobs.
At university we've had many lectures about care and how we care for patients but the subject always come back to this: can we teach how to care? Can we teach how to deal with emotional and stressful situations? How do we teach about death, pain, anger, anxiety? Is this something you can teach, or something you are born with, or something you gain from life experience? I don't know the answer but if we didn't care, why would we go into a profession that every day deals with life and death at its most core, with pain, with long shifts, with pay packets that barely pay our rent?At university we've had many lectures about care and how we care for patients but the subject always come back to this: can we teach how to care? Can we teach how to deal with emotional and stressful situations? How do we teach about death, pain, anger, anxiety? Is this something you can teach, or something you are born with, or something you gain from life experience? I don't know the answer but if we didn't care, why would we go into a profession that every day deals with life and death at its most core, with pain, with long shifts, with pay packets that barely pay our rent?
I care and all my fellow students care but with high demands on the NHS, HCAs have been employed to perform these tasks because nurses simply don't have the capacity to perform these duties alongside the complexity of patients' healthcare needs and ward procedures. If you want nurses to perform more of these "caring" tasks then employ more nurses. Six to eight patients to one nurse is too much and makes it impossible for that nurse to attend to every patient's individual care needs.I care and all my fellow students care but with high demands on the NHS, HCAs have been employed to perform these tasks because nurses simply don't have the capacity to perform these duties alongside the complexity of patients' healthcare needs and ward procedures. If you want nurses to perform more of these "caring" tasks then employ more nurses. Six to eight patients to one nurse is too much and makes it impossible for that nurse to attend to every patient's individual care needs.
I love being a student because I have the time to perform all the fundamentals of nursing care, to comb patients' hair, to talk to them about their personal lives while I help feed them their lunch, as well as learning from qualified nurses about other duties and responsibilities. But while I am reading a book to a patient, my mentor nurse is running around making sure that these patients stay alive and keep well.I love being a student because I have the time to perform all the fundamentals of nursing care, to comb patients' hair, to talk to them about their personal lives while I help feed them their lunch, as well as learning from qualified nurses about other duties and responsibilities. But while I am reading a book to a patient, my mentor nurse is running around making sure that these patients stay alive and keep well.
This time next year I will be nearly qualified and will be out on the wards. It is vital that HCAs, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and all the other ward staff work together to give the patient the best level of care and also to support each other as colleagues. There is a hierarchy in the NHS but everybody on the ward is responsible for life and death, for care, for recognising risk and acting accordingly. So why are HCAs paid £9 an hour and made to work 13-hour shifts? If this is fundamental to care then why aren't HCAs valued more and why isn't money given to train HCAs and improve standards? Instead, the government wants to put more untrained workers on to wards to perform these tasks. This will surely add to the problems rather than solve them.This time next year I will be nearly qualified and will be out on the wards. It is vital that HCAs, nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and all the other ward staff work together to give the patient the best level of care and also to support each other as colleagues. There is a hierarchy in the NHS but everybody on the ward is responsible for life and death, for care, for recognising risk and acting accordingly. So why are HCAs paid £9 an hour and made to work 13-hour shifts? If this is fundamental to care then why aren't HCAs valued more and why isn't money given to train HCAs and improve standards? Instead, the government wants to put more untrained workers on to wards to perform these tasks. This will surely add to the problems rather than solve them.
As I write, I'm eating into my revision schedule for a bioscience exam for which I have to learn about the cardiovascular system, cells, renal system, homoeostasis, central nervous system, genetics and reproduction, applied pharmacology pain and inflammation, gastrointestinal system, antibiotics, bones and muscle, renal system, respiratory system … "gasp" – yes that's your respiratory system working overtime, and it's what happens to student nurses on a daily basis. After all, I'm sure you want the nurse looking after your relative to be knowledgeable and to care. It upsets me greatly that the government thinks that nursing equates to wiping arses all day long. Perhaps the government should wake up to the fact that about 80% of the student nurses I know actually work as HCAs as a part-time job to fund their way through studying.As I write, I'm eating into my revision schedule for a bioscience exam for which I have to learn about the cardiovascular system, cells, renal system, homoeostasis, central nervous system, genetics and reproduction, applied pharmacology pain and inflammation, gastrointestinal system, antibiotics, bones and muscle, renal system, respiratory system … "gasp" – yes that's your respiratory system working overtime, and it's what happens to student nurses on a daily basis. After all, I'm sure you want the nurse looking after your relative to be knowledgeable and to care. It upsets me greatly that the government thinks that nursing equates to wiping arses all day long. Perhaps the government should wake up to the fact that about 80% of the student nurses I know actually work as HCAs as a part-time job to fund their way through studying.
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