Nursing in the UK

Karen30 · Aug 31, 2003

Yes your right, you do have to still do post qualifying courses to cannulate, etc... But most nurses where I work in the North West do attend these.

However, I think it is only a nurse who places limitations on herself, if you want to know how to learn to read CT scans, auscultate heart, bowel, lung sounds...there is no reason why you can't learn to do these things, it's just that some nurses chose not to learn these things because the demands on nurses are that great already that this would place an even larger burden on overworked, underpaid nurses in this country

Mol · Sep 1, 2003

What do you mean by" Be grateful we dont have socialised medicine" Last time i looked the federal goverment were funding medicare and the states their own programs eg medicaid in massachusetts. You seem to be an authoirity on Britain, i would think you would know also know a little about your own country IN THAT IT ALSO HAS SOCIALISED PROGRAMS THAT WORK WELL. I disagree that British nurses are not trained as well, i have worked with some super British nurse. My mother trained in Essex and she is the best nurse i know.

Mol · Sep 1, 2003

Maybe British patients didnt complain because they actually got to see their nurse!

CaliforniaRN · Sep 1, 2003

I was intrigued when I found this website when I took a much needed break from my studies today. It was quite an effort to search the site and find out how to register, though! The website is busy with text!

In reading the postings I see a variety of opinions about the nurses in the UK and the nurses in the USA. I read discussions about nurse to patient ratios, scope of practice, socialized medicine, Medicare and Medicaid. I see that we all have one thing in common, however, and that is our committment to our patients. When we consider that as nurses we are our patients' last defense against poor health care then I think we can agree how important our practice as nurses is and how important it is to continue with learning and gaining new skills.

Rather than compare each other, why not share our strengths? From what I read on this BB I can see that UK nurses have a great need for reform in the area of nurse- to- patient ratios. While this is something considerably controversial here in my state of California, we have moved forward in a attempt to lessen the load on nurses in all areas of hospital care. This can only improve the care our patients receive. If fellow UK nurses are interested in beginning the discussion at the legislative level perhaps you might like to visit the website for the California Nurses Association to get a picture of the ratios this organization has put together. Our ratios have been signed into law now, and soon all our hospitals will need to comply. This was done with a great deal of input from nursing organizations across the state as well as our regulatory body of Department of Health Services. Not everyone is happy (least of all employers), but nurses, out of concern for their patients' safety as well as their own, pushed the envelope and saw it through. Implementation is on the agenda at this point. We're all anxious to see what this will do in terms of impacting patient outcomes, retention of nurses, and the bottom line for institutions. Especially with the nursing shortage at 'Critical.'

Come on, UK nurses! I am very interested in what is going on in your country in terms of innovations in nursing care, nursing research, and revolutionary legislation that could affect patient outcomes in your corner of the nursing world! Can you share?

Karen30 · Sep 2, 2003

I totally agree, we have so much to share as nurses and yet we don't always do so.

There are so many innovations, etc. in the UK it is hard to know where to start so how about giving an idea of a area you would like to know about?

MANCUSOAE · Sep 3, 2003

I fully enjoyed the opportunity to experience nursing in a different "light". UK nursing is a different type of nursing, one that I am grateful to have had the experience. I too have seen some horrific errors made in nursing; unfortunately they were in the UK and perhaps that is why I feel that nurses play different roles in the UK. My initial message was from my own experiences in the UK. :rolleyes:

CaliforniaRN · Sep 3, 2003

Well, Karen30, how about discussing your thoughts on retention of nurses. In the USA we have the Nurse Practice Act which up until now has not had much in the way of teeth in it. It was a great idea at the Federal level, and I applaud the fact that the federal legislature has finally acknowledged the crisis in nursing, however it wasn't until very recently that money was actually put aside for nurses to assist them with paying off school loans, loan forgiveness, and grant money. Some of this money has actually gone to several colleges and universities to help set up distance learning programs for those nurses who must work full time and cannot attend on campus classes. What is the UK doing for your nurses to help ease the critical shortage? Do you think your government is doing enough? Would like to hear your thoughts.

Silverdragon102, BSN · Sep 3, 2003

I can only speak for my experience in the UK and I have been nursing since 1988 when I initially qualified as Enrolled Nurse and later as RN.

Beofre I became a practice nurse I worked on a busy medical admission unit where the ratio was 17 beds to 3 RN's per shift but we could have admitted as many as 50-80 patients in the 24hrs. Beds on other wards where always short and therefore patients either had to wait at home or in Casualty. Management always made the stress worse by putting pressure on us to get patients moved to get in the patients waiting in casualty. There was no rush to get the patients waiting at home in. This was because of figures and pressures put on the hospital by the government re waiting times. But this only involved patients in Casualty not at home. After 5 years working in this enviroment I was ready for a change and now I am looking at working in the states as I feel let down by my government in the care of nurses.

Good_Queen_Bess · Sep 4, 2003

To those who insult us nurses in the UK: Yes, the NHS is far from perfect but I would rather work in a country where nurses actually look after people according to the persons NEED rather than on the basis on the ability to pay insurance premiums. Nurses work dam hard over here (as all over) for low pay. We don't expect to be slagged off by our BB friends.

I know this could open a can of worms, but I love my job, and proud of what I do. (BTW I don't want to start off a debate about free access to health care as it's been covered before.) We should be supporting each other and sharing ideas.

love from Jackie, a so-called "Staff Nurse" apparantly.

Karen30 · Sep 4, 2003

Recruitment and retention of nurses is a huge issue in the UK. In recent years I understand the drop-out rates from nurse training have increased. I think one reason why nurses are not retained is because of pay. Another reason is lack of resources and funding, many nurses get frustrated and angry that they cannot provide best care for patients because they do not have the equipment or resources available to do so. The way the UK is trying to resolve the nursing shortage is by recruiting overseas nurses, from Spain, the Philippines, the US, etc... Whilst it is a learning experience for both foreign nurses and UK nurses, this is not ideal since it would appear from recent press releases that some countries are now also experiencing staff shortages. My own personal opinion is that more money should be given to the Health Service as a whole for more resources, equipment, etc as well as looking at nursing pay as well.

Good_Queen_Bess · Sep 6, 2003

Agree. Nurses should be paid more and there needs to be better resources, however this would mean people would have to pay more tax. People expect more and better services, but aren't willing to pay for it. You can't have something for nothing.

Whisper · Sep 6, 2003

Instead of looking at what nurses are paid the government has changed the training system... when/ If I qualify, I will not be able to register with a forreign agency, or be able to work in the US, even after the ususal 1-2 years experience....

Because on my training course we do not have tasters for the other branches, adult nurses, only get adult placements, and most other countires require general or adult nurses to have at least 40 hours theory and 40 hours practical experince in each branch of nursing...

which is an awful lot of study to fit in, around working full time!

I mean, it isn't like I wanted to go work abroad.... right?????