20 Day "Protected Learning", & Why I Loathe The NMC

karenG · Sep 12, 2005

The NMC...............

could not organise a p*** up in a brewery!! thats just my opinion.

from what i understand the protected learning should be provide by your employer. I'm not sure what you are supposed to learn- personally I'd opt to learn to paraglide!

I hate phoning the NMC.. they keep calling me 'madam' and sound about 10! I am fairly sure that a 'madam' makes more money than me and I'd rather they didnt call me it!

good luck

Karen

ClaireMacl · Sep 12, 2005

I hate the NMC because they want £129 out of me by the end of the month which will put me in overdraft and I still can't figure out what they've done for me in the past 3 years

steve0123 · Sep 13, 2005

LOL!

I'm so glad I'm not alone in my mild to moderate outrage. Damn bureaucrats...

steve0123 · Sep 13, 2005

Further to my rant before, I have a new example of the idiocy of the NMC's policies. As you may know, every overseas trained nurse wishing to register in the UK has to undertake a 20 day period of "protected learning". I did a little investigation, and came up with the following statistics:

- 53440 applications (paid) were received by the NMC from foreign nurses last year;

- 11416 foreign nurses were added to the register last year;

- The NMC, in their infinite wisdom, have secured the grand total of 1500 places in the overseas nurses program (ONP), meaning that:

- Approximately 10000 to 40000 potential registrants will be unable to register in the UK this year.

You don't need an "O" level to figure out that the nursing shortage is going to get a whole lot worse... Marvellous work NMC... Marvellous... Are they really watching out for the best interests of the people of the UK?

Fonenurse · Sep 13, 2005

I still can't figure out what they've done for me in the past 3 years

The only thing they do for us is grant us permission to practice - we pay for the privilege. Their role in life is to protect the public. I personally think it is the public that should pay for this, not us poorly paid nurses!

ClaireMacl · Sep 14, 2005

I agree... I think the idea of paying £129 every three years is attrocious... do Lawyers have to pay? I'd doubt it. I remember being newly qualified, thousands of pounds in debt already, no income guaranteed and having to pay before I could actually get a job, where is the justice in that?

Personally, I think we should only have to pay when we have something to declare. I find it attrocious that they will stop me working at the end of the month in a job if I don't pay, where I have been told I am doing a good job and where my employers actually sort out the day to day management of my licence.

Since the public don't pay for healthcare in the UK (other than through taxes, which I pay too!!!) and seeing as about 60% of people I see from day to day are neither accidents or emergencies, I think public taxes should ensure "our safety to practice".

Where the idea of us paying for them keeping a register came from, I've no idea... but I know it hasn't stopped at least one bogus nurse in my hospital till they were already employed!

The only thing they do for us is grant us permission to practice - we pay for the privilege. Their role in life is to protect the public. I personally think it is the public that should pay for this, not us poorly paid nurses!

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Sep 14, 2005

I agree... I think the idea of paying £129 every three years is attrocious... do Lawyers have to pay? I'd doubt it. I remember being newly qualified, thousands of pounds in debt already, no income guaranteed and having to pay before I could actually get a job, where is the justice in that?
Personally, I think we should only have to pay when we have something to declare. I find it attrocious that they will stop me working at the end of the month in a job if I don't pay, where I have been told I am doing a good job and where my employers actually sort out the day to day management of my licence.
Since the public don't pay for healthcare in the UK (other than through taxes, which I pay too!!!) and seeing as about 60% of people I see from day to day are neither accidents or emergencies, I think public taxes should ensure "our safety to practice".
Where the idea of us paying for them keeping a register came from, I've no idea... but I know it hasn't stopped at least one bogus nurse in my hospital till they were already employed!

Well have to add my 2 pennys worth in-Did you know when you know that somebody is too dangerous to practice and you are really concerned that they will leave before you can 'sack' you CANNOT report to NMC. I am working with a RN who should be struck off and you cannot imagine how difficult it is, 1 year we have been supervising.

Mio · Oct 3, 2005

hey steve,

i'm an NZ nurse heading over to the UK in Feb06, luckily a got my UK registration done before the new changes came about in Sept-a nursing agency i had expressed some interest in sent me a letter early in the year basically telling me to get my A into G and apply quick, so i'm glad i did.

i agree it's tough going when you have to sit an english test when you come from a country where english is a first language. why couldn't they've made it so if you came from a counry where english isn't your first language you had to sit a test? it's almost like despite the staff shortages in the uk they want to make it extra hard for overseas nurses to get over there, as well as taking about $800 of your money to want to work there in the first place!

anyway, good luck with the application process, just think it will all be worth it when you get there!

Mio :nurse:

steve0123 · Oct 3, 2005

Dear Mio,

Thankyou for your kind words. Since I last corresponded with the NMC (having sent away my application forms for processing), I've grown a beard, written a screenplay for my novel, chosen a retirement fund, and been nominated for the Nobel prize. I've also become more reflective in my old age, and come to realise that my expectations of the NMC are too high. One man alone can not change the culture of inefficient bureaucracy on which the British Public Service and the QANGO is built. Ah yes, NMC, I've watched "Yes Minister"! I know how your brains work! Sitting there in your office, hunched over a draft proposal on the formation of a committee to discuss the report of the subcommittee on toilet paper in the mens room, with your beady little eyes and grubby little hands... I'm on to you...

donmurray · Oct 4, 2005

Steve, you should register on their discussion board (with a different name :lol2: ) the moderators often respond to direct questions

madwife2002, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2005

Dear Mio,
Thankyou for your kind words. Since I last corresponded with the NMC (having sent away my application forms for processing), I've grown a beard, written a screenplay for my novel, chosen a retirement fund, and been nominated for the Nobel prize. I've also become more reflective in my old age, and come to realise that my expectations of the NMC are too high. One man alone can not change the culture of inefficient bureaucracy on which the British Public Service and the QANGO is built. Ah yes, NMC, I've watched "Yes Minister"! I know how your brains work! Sitting there in your office, hunched over a draft proposal on the formation of a committee to discuss the report of the subcommittee on toilet paper in the mens room, with your beady little eyes and grubby little hands... I'm on to you...

I am working nights at the moment and this posting really made me laugh,

All I could think of was RIP VAN WRINKLE:roll