student nurse fed up with the NHS

[babes690]

I am a student nurse who qualifies in 2 weeks and at the minute i do not have a job to go to, neither are ther eany jobs advertised for band 5 staff nurses. the trust in which i have done my training ( Mid yorkshire) has just announced that the 340 jobs which it had frozen they are scrapping all together now, so it doesn't look like there is a chance of me getting one in the near future as they are meking people redundent as well. i am just so annoyed that i have spent 3 years doing all of this training and obtaining my BSc and now there are no rewards for it at all. it seams daft to me that they are still training nurses when there are no joobs for them. we have spoken tio university and all they have said is that we should not worry, and that we will get a job some where! but NHS professionals are not even giving out bank contracts at the minute.

is there anybody else in this situation and what have you done about it

[eternalsunshine]

Like you Magic, I left a very good job to train and am a mature student. I don't regret making that decision at all and I am now in my 3rd year and some of the memories and experiences I have been privelaged to be involved with have been priceless and will stay with me forever. However, I am demotivated as I know for a fact I will not get a job at my hospital where I am training as they already have a waiting list compiled for the two previous cohorts who are also still waiting for jobs. I would agree with Denise, doing bank work, register with an agency and also that is a good way of getting work and experience in different fields. Also you may find you don't want to work within the NHS at all, there are so many jobs out there that are not in the NHS, I am hoping to work in a hospice where there is time to spend with each individual, one luxury that doesn't happen in a hospital setting, I don't know about others, but I alway feel like I am short changing patients as you can never give them as much time and attention as you would like to. Try not be too disheartened as it is an amazing experience and one which you will value. I do not think you will regret your decision.

Best of luck!

EternalSunshine :wink2:

[yossaria]

I agree with you Tina. I am a 1/2 Romanian + 1/2 Swedish nurse and I live in England at the moment, my partner is English. I worked in the NHS for nearly one year and it put me off. I am sorry to say that, but I know myself as a very positive person, I try to avoid criticism as much as possible, but my last job has been too much. Managers often dont have managerial skills...that's very sad. And as a nurse, esp if you're newly qualified...you do need a lot of support! The only thing I remember from my previous job is that I was rushed in my work to do everyting in time, otherwise I was accused of not being competent with time management. On the other hand, you are held accountable and responsible for everything you do...professionally. I think newly qualified nurses do need support in that matter...until they gain the confidence, because competent nursing skills do not develop overnight, nor in the pre-registration education period.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I agree with you Tina. I am a 1/2 Romanian + 1/2 Swedish nurse and I live in England at the moment, my partner is English. I worked in the NHS for nearly one year and it put me off. I am sorry to say that, but I know myself as a very positive person, I try to avoid criticism as much as possible, but my last job has been too much. Managers often dont have managerial skills...that's very sad. And as a nurse, esp if you're newly qualified...you do need a lot of support! The only thing I remember from my previous job is that I was rushed in my work to do everyting in time, otherwise I was accused of not being competent with time management. On the other hand, you are held accountable and responsible for everything you do...professionally. I think newly qualified nurses do need support in that matter...until they gain the confidence, because competent nursing skills do not develop overnight, nor in the pre-registration education period.

Everything you say is so true, when I think back over time I never had constructive critism it was always just critism full stop. I did do an assertiveness course for women in 1995, and I never looked back I fully recommend doing one-it is amazing how we allow people who are 'bullies' to intimidate us but we can learn to turn even a horrible experience into a good one, and I still use some of the teachings in my life now.

I was being treated so badly at work I would cry in the treatment room, I left that job after the asservieness course but have never been treated that way again.

[mmsparkle]

:yeahthat: There is rarely a day that goes by when I'm not glad that I'm a nurse. Yes the UK could pay better & staff better but there's very few jobs when you can come home satisfied that you really did a good thing at work.

It won't be long before all these cuts will come back & bite them in the butt & then they'll be crying out for nurses & may even have to up the pay to entice them back! This current situation is more than ridiculous & is really a very short term solution that cannot be sustained for too long.

I completely agree. Keep faith, enjoy your nursing course, in three years time the situation will be different.

Nursing in the NHS is a profoundly rewarding career, personally I won't leave it to go private because I believe in the principle of free health care at the point of treatment for all. Despite being short staffed, (maybe even because of being short staffed) you have the opportunity to make a difference. Every day.

There are a lot less jobs around, unfortunately. Keep your eyes peeled, check out nhs jobs website. It may be worth registering with NHS Professionals or equivalent to gain experience while you study, get to know a few areas. This often leads to you being considered for job vacancies.

Good luck, enjoy nursing.