Are nurses being imported to the UK?

World UK

Published

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10376026/Number-of-foreign-nurses-coming-to-UK-doubled-in-three-years-as-NHS-poaches-workers-from-abroad.htmI

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Are Nurses being imported to the UK?

I do not know if the Telegraph is a reliable newspaper. I find this concerning, the reason being, from what I have read Nurses in the UK are not paid a reasonable wage. If nurses are leaving it probably is that that they can find other positions that pay a living wage.

If the UK is importing nurses from countries other than the UK it is because their wages are lower than the UK which is eroding the UK Nurses power to negotiate higher wages. With Healthcare changing in the US I can see that this could be a way to nursing wages.

In my part of Canada, it's NAs. You get good one, indifferent ones, and plain terrible ones. When I worked in nursing homes the NAs would be horrible to nurses. Rarely did you see a professional nurse treat an NA badly but NAs had no problem in being late to help you, refuse to help you, or lose their hearing when it came to call bells.

My health authority has signs all over the place saying "abuse will not be tolerated" Yup, sure. Don't bet the farm on that one Skippy. Research has shown that nurses/hospital staff have a higher rate of assault than police officers. Unless you call a "code white" security doesn't come, they are too busy in emerg. Call a Code White and they come running but then management want to know why you didn't manage the situation better.

Can't win for trying.

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Specializes in Transplants, MICU.

I've worked as a tech or CT and experienced bad behavior from RNs. As an RN I don't believe I do treat my techs badly or reprimand them unless I find them in the breakroom all day or surfing Internet when everyone else is massively busy. At my work place it's certain individuals 'not working' or helping that pushes my buttons or they disappear once you ask for help with a clean up. And it varies by units I've worked on. Another pet peeve - when RNs I work with believe cleaning up patients is no longer part of their job and the CTs do it now.

All that being said, it depends on nurse attitude and tech attitude toward the work. Are you going for the paycheck and to do as little as possible or are you there to take care of and heal the patient that needs you?

On family and patient attitude in the US, I rarely have problems. I've also worked with VIP patients and not had many issues either. Maybe understanding of nurse responsibilities and workload is more understood by the public? Many people I have spoken with about my profession ave told me they know a nurse or are related to one some how.

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Yes is the answer here. recently taken delivery of nearly 50 spanish and portugese nurses. still have 15 registered nurse vacancies on our ward.

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Specializes in Medical and general practice now LTC.
Yes is the answer here. recently taken delivery of nearly 50 spanish and portugese nurses. still have 15 registered nurse vacancies on our ward.

Difference being they are both in the EU and easy for them to work opposed to getting someone who needs sponsorship for work permit

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Difference being they are both in the EU and easy for them to work opposed to getting someone who needs sponsorship for work permit

very true. But general point of home grown war spirited british nurses are thin on the ground. :(

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Specializes in Orthopaedics, ITU and Critical Care Outr.

Yes - we are looking to Portugal and Phillipines currently to fill critical care posts.

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Specializes in ER.
very true. But general point of home grown war spirited british nurses are thin on the ground. :(

Shouldn't someone be asking why?

My set from when I trained was 22 nurses, and only 3 are still in the UK. I don't know if that a typical ratio, but I certainly feel that recruitment and retention folk should be wondering why.

If we wanted to have a class reunion we would likely need to go to Australia as that is where most of them are.

A few of us crossed the pond as well, and when I am back in England the comment I hear most is nurses asking what its like in the States and telling me they want to move here.

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