H.C.A.s now scrubbing in UK ORs

:angryfire I am so disheartened. I have just read in our nursing times that due to staff shortages some hospitals are employing HCA's to scrub. What the hell is going on here. Why did I ever train as an RN. I will not work with a HCA as my scrub , I will resign first. Why not pay nurses what they are worth first and you wouldent have to resort to picking people off the street to do the job of a trained nurse. What kind of preparation will they have and whose responsible for them. Scrub nurses dont just know what is happening at the table they have the education and training and knowledge to know what is happening in the whole room, they can predict what the surgeon is doing and trouble shoot if necessary. They are aware of how any changes in the surgery will affect the patient in the post op period. Standing handing instruments is something my son can do . Do I want my son to scrub for my op, let me think now....................... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

(What does HCA stand for, health care assistant?)

[asolomio]

HCA stands for health care assistant.

Im doing a dipHe In operating department practice to train to scrub, so it annoys me to think that they are just spot training people to do the same job that its taking me two or three years to train for. (I will be an ODP when i qualify).