jenkt

I think most parents would agree that having a child shifts your priorities. Before giving birth to my son, I was happy to work full time as a RN plus a part time job. Presently, I am happy to go back to work (now that my son is 16 months old!) but NOT full time. I am lucky that I don't have to. My husband works full time and I have gone back to work on a casual basis. I work on the odd days that my husband has off during the week and the odd Saturday and Sunday. I did one night shift and hated being away from my son who still breastfeeds at night (never thought I would be breastfeeding this long). In a couple months my son will be 18 months old and just starting day care two days a week which is when I will pick up long day shifts (husband will pick up and drop off). I think everyones situation is unique. I thought I was going to be like my sister who voluntarily went back to work when her baby was 6 months old because she couldn't do the stay-at-home-mom thing. Instead, the thought of leaving my son (if I didn't have to) when he was under a year old brought me to tears. In the same token, my sister in law was forced to go back to work full time when her baby was 4 months old due to financial reasons. Both my sister and sister-in-law made it work and their schedules became the norm for them. You will find a way that works! I think it is great that you bring this topic up so that you and your loved ones can try to be prepared ahead of time, well done!

I 1000000000% agree with this post!! I am a Canadian trained nurse who moved here to the UK two years ago. I did obtain nursing registration here but it was not without (many, MANY) problems. I have yet to practise as I gave birth to my son, however my husband and close friend work for the NHS so I am now quite familiar with nursing here (going for an interview this week, though not overly excited about it!) Thank you for putting this information out there so eloquently. Top statements that I completely agree with: - NMC is awful for too many reasons to list - Nurses are underpaid (essentially minimum wage which I find incredibly disturbing and disrespectful) - Nursing is not a respected profession here For these reasons alone, avoid the UK!

Am I crazy to argue 1:4 on med/surg, ideally 1:3?? I am talking a ratio that can significantly reduce medication errors, increase patient satisfaction and prevent nurse burnout in the long term ... Nurse:patient ratios is something I thought a lot about when I worked on a busy acute spine surgical floor. The ratios were not as bad as some of the comments on here, but for me and many of my colleagues, our ratio of 1:4 (sometimes 1:5) was extremely overwhelming and unsafe much of the time. The patients were acutely ill, required total care, had complex dressings and medication requirements, etc. etc.. Of the 4 other RNs that I started with on the unit, 2 of them left within the year. One of them left the hospital entirely and the other started on a dialysis unit (she says it was much more chill). It was a good team - the only thing I could associate mine and my colleagues burnout with was the nurse to patient ratios. I believe there is a STRONG link between the ratio and patient safety and burnout. When management is looking to improve, this should be the first thing they change.

Oh. My. God. This thread is so in-line with how I feel right now. THANK YOU WrigleyRN for describing this disgusting process so eloquently. I, too, failed the first OSCE in June for absolutely ridiculous reasons. I was so upset I wasn't going to take the exam again given the cost it is to do a full-resit (another 1000 pounds are you kidding me??!!). I have decided I will try again but after that, I have different plans for employment. I am a great Canadian nurse with excellent references. We are highly respected and very well trained in Canada. Not the same can be said for nurses here - the longer I live here the more I learn about how awful the working conditions are and how nurses are treated. The nursing here is not any more special than it is elsewhere in the world. This process has made me question why I ever became a nurse and whether I am good enough. I hate the University and the NMC for this. I have written a formal complaint to UoN and then to the NMC. The responses were so generic and hardly addressed my complaint. I have taken the complaint to stage 3, just for the heck of it. I feel good knowing I am using more of their time and resources. I had written a formal complaint to the NMC regarding the assessment stage already, I should have known it would only get worse moving on to the OSCE stage. Please, if anyone wants to get together in person, or need a letter/statement from me to add to a bunch of letters to an MP or journalist let me know via email (below). A family member of mine will be writing to the health minister. The more letters the better! Also, if anyone is willing to answer a couple of questions I have about the medication administration station in the OSCE I would be SO grateful if you could email me at [email protected] Wishing you all the best in the future!

Hello all, I failed the OSCE last month I am currently waiting to take it again in August. If any of you are in the same situation, or if you have passed and are willing to email me I would be so grateful! My email is [email protected]