Senior Carers

[marjoriemac, LPN]

Hi, just wondering what your views are on senior carers? I am thankful for them in that if I have a real busy day, certain tasks can be allocated to them however, I have concerns that nurses jobs are being pushed down to pure paperwork. The senior carers in my home can take bloods, do basic dressings, do observations, write progress notes (although these must be countersigned) and one is training to do meds. I am in two minds, I like having help on the floor but cannot help but feel they do not have adequate training? In UK carers are now being made responsible for their own actions but I can't help but feel that the nurse will still be made responsible overall for any of their mistakes.

[cheshirecat]

I feel senior carers are being abused by their employers. If you think about it, they are doing the work of an enrolled nurse (except meds), yet they are not really being paid for that work.

We only have 2 on our ward, but they are worth their weight in gold. What should happen is they should be encouraged to take their nurses exams, instead of NVQ's. At least that way they would earn a decent wage (compared to what they earn as HCA's).

[nightmare, RN]

Do all your senior carers have SVQ then? Ours started out doing SVQ but now some of them are just interviewed and promoted to the post without the qualification.I feel this is wrong but do not have any say in the matter.Some of the promoted ones treat the job like a power trip while others are really good at their jobs and do take the weight off the trained nurses.

[marjoriemac, LPN]

All our senior carers have svq 3.