AQuinn

Well then I suppose without checklists how would nurses know what to do!! (not). I think really, we wouldnt need checklists if they gave us manageable workloads so that we weren't running around like headless chickens all day. If we had a higher nurse to patient ratio then surely patients quality of care would be so much better. The main reason things are forgotten about are because we have a million and one things going on at the same time, not because we don't know how to do our jobs. My suggestion is, double the amount of frontline nurses rather than doubling the paperwork! Makes sense to me!

I have only been nursing for 6 years and it is much to stressful. The paperwork has nothing to do with better patient care, its because of legalities and the increasing Suing culture. Most nurses go into nursing because they want a worthwhile job and to help others so I say we would do a better job at the bedside and not the desk. People say paperwork results in better patient care, really? I'm not so sure. Just because it's documented as being done, really doesnt mean it has been done! Also, the NHS receives so much bad press, most patients come into hospital with a negative attitude towards hospitals and I think they have become so demanding because of this. It is also stressful because of targets and its frustrating because patient care is at the bottom of the list of priorities when it comes to targets. I dont think any of the parties know what to do with the NHS! I think nurses should take over running of the NHS.. and then take over the country!! Afterall, we are The best multi-taskers in the world!!

Is this a forum for UK or USA nurses? If it is for UK nurses I'm interested to know nurses opinions on the upcoming general election. Who would you vote for for a better NHS? Labour who promise to modernise nursing careers? Conservatives who want to reduce paperwork and let nurses get on with 'nursing'? Liberat Democrats who plan to give the NHS no extra funding and make better use of the resources we already have? I know which one I like the sound of! What's your opinion?