Buttercup Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I don't know if it is just me and I do enjoy my job, but since I've come back from Oz, it just seems the NHS want your blood when you work for them. It's so bloody fast faced paced- all the time. I've said this before but I often wonder if I'm in the right job, but just working for the wrong organization? I have dipped a toe into other sectors and it doesn't seem as stressful? I only really returned to it as my OH's job was iffy at the time... Goes against all my principles, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's time to jump ship with the NHS? They totally seem to not care less about their staff and are hell bent on saving every bloody penny. I think I'm just getting a bit fed up with doing the best I can with little support. Rant over but would be good to hear from anyone else in a similar situation?:arghh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ali Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I don't know if it is just me and I do enjoy my job, but since I've come back from Oz, it just seems the NHS want your blood when you work for them. It's so bloody fast faced paced- all the time. I've said this before but I often wonder if I'm in the right job, but just working for the wrong organization? I have dipped a toe into other sectors and it doesn't seem as stressful? I only really returned to it as my OH's job was iffy at the time...Goes against all my principles, but I'm beginning to wonder if it's time to jump ship with the NHS? They totally seem to not care less about their staff and are hell bent on saving every bloody penny. I think I'm just getting a bit fed up with doing the best I can with little support. Rant over but would be good to hear from anyone else in a similar situation?:arghh: Obviously i'm not a returnee, but still have a lot of friends in the NHS who tell me that the job has changed so much since I left Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxlornaxx Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I really really miss the fast paced stressy nhs now im in oz..I dont like it and feel that staff are prioritised over patients here..i'd rather be nhs'd at the moment..hate the slooowwwwness..im bored! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samdom1 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I really really miss the fast paced stressy nhs now im in oz..I dont like it and feel that staff are prioritised over patients here..i'd rather be nhs'd at the moment..hate the slooowwwwness..im bored! Whereabouts are you working...one thing I'm worried about is a slow pace....friends have mentioned that they often are responsible for 3 or 4 patients per shift?! Buttercup I agree its tough and I dont see it getting much easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toodolou Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 thats why i moved to itu ! although still nhs , i can do my job properly and give quality nursing care, i dont go home feeling angry anymore! its not often i dont get to go home on time either, i hated having to spread myself so thinly on the ward , staff shortages , relying on hcas to provide the hands on care i wanted to give , and still being at work 40 mins after my shift had ended!! you are well supported in itu , and you go home feeling youve done a good job ... because you have the equipment , time, support and a big team around you . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxlornaxx Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 In uk I feel a nurse has to be a bit of everything..a doctor..a social worker..an ot..an advocate..supervisor...a counsellor..clerk..receptionist..care co ordinator. .bed manager..and nurse...doing none of them that well probably coz we hav our own job to do too..their is so much expected of uk nurses..esp in clinical decision making and managing a ward. .here much much much less is expected of me..and its frustrating as I feel capable of more..although as a service it may be better way of doing it..I dont know..im used to a nurse led team. .here the doctors say what happens and nurses jump to it quickly and quietly, they have no voice...and the practices are about 15yrs behind uk..they say that themselves...thats just my experience..im sure its not like that in other places . .everywhere is overstaffed too..never seen so many ppl in a hospital lol but if you want a rest and to take it easy with less responsibility, lotsa tea breaks and no stress its perfect for that..but I miss the nhs so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toodolou Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 In uk I feel a nurse has to be a bit of everything..a doctor..a social worker..an ot..an advocate..supervisor...a counsellor..clerk..receptionist..care co ordinator. .bed manager..and nurse...doing none of them that well probably coz we hav our own job to do too..their is so much expected of uk nurses..esp in clinical decision making and managing a ward. .here much much much less is expected of me..and its frustrating as I feel capable of more..although as a service it may be better way of doing it..I dont know..im used to a nurse led team. .here the doctors say what happens and nurses jump to it quickly and quietly, they have no voice...and the practices are about 15yrs behind uk..they say that themselves...thats just my experience..im sure its not like that in other places . .everywhere is overstaffed too..never seen so many ppl in a hospital lol but if you want a rest and to take it easy with less responsibility, lotsa tea breaks and no stress its perfect for that..but I miss the nhs so much! interesting to hear what its like on the other side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 In uk I feel a nurse has to be a bit of everything..a doctor..a social worker..an ot..an advocate..supervisor...a counsellor..clerk..receptionist..care co ordinator. .bed manager..and nurse...doing none of them that well probably coz we hav our own job to do too..their is so much expected of uk nurses..esp in clinical decision making and managing a ward. .here much much much less is expected of me..and its frustrating as I feel capable of more..although as a service it may be better way of doing it..I dont know..im used to a nurse led team. .here the doctors say what happens and nurses jump to it quickly and quietly, they have no voice...and the practices are about 15yrs behind uk..they say that themselves...thats just my experience..im sure its not like that in other places . .everywhere is overstaffed too..never seen so many ppl in a hospital lol but if you want a rest and to take it easy with less responsibility, lotsa tea breaks and no stress its perfect for that..but I miss the nhs so much! I agree with this, especially about working in a nurse led team. I loved being able to use my skills to make clinical decisions and develop the service we provided for patients. The whole team - receptionists, nurses, drs and other support staff got together every Friday lunchtime to put ideas forward to improve the quality of our service and everyone's input was valued. Going from that to a dr led service was very strange, it seemed fragmented somehow and outdated. I thought it was just because I was working in a private hospital.. That said, I think it very much depends where you work within the nhs - some areas are still quite well funded and staffed. Others are complete basket cases and I definitely wouldn't want to be working in those environments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toodolou Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I agree with this, especially about working in a nurse led team. I loved being able to use my skills to make clinical decisions and develop the service we provided for patients. The whole team - receptionists, nurses, drs and other support staff got together every Friday lunchtime to put ideas forward to improve the quality of our service and everyone's input was valued. Going from that to a dr led service was very strange, it seemed fragmented somehow and outdated. I thought it was just because I was working in a private hospital.. That said, I think it very much depends where you work within the nhs - some areas are still quite well funded and staffed. Others are complete basket cases and I definitely wouldn't want to be working in those environments. dr led services ! oh my gosh , thats why oz needs pommy nurses! to challenge this and improve nursing and patient care over there then x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxlornaxx Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Yeah definately.. its hard though. .changing a culture of doing things..and tiring when u get nowhere lol..just different...I think some things r better in uk and some better in aus... need to combine the good things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 dr led services ! oh my gosh , thats why oz needs pommy nurses! to challenge this and improve nursing and patient care over there then x My friend has been a midwife there for the past 20ish years and has only just started to get somewhere with it! :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Yeah definately.. its hard though. .changing a culture of doing things..and tiring when u get nowhere lol..just different...I think some things r better in uk and some better in aus... need to combine the good things That's it. Take the best from both. Mind you, that would take services talking to each other and accepting that some things are done better in the other. I think we might be waiting a while for that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toodolou Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 if i went into work tommorrow (nhs) and it was announced only doctor led services from now on , i think we would quickly have our first nurses strike !! its quite amazing how differently healthcare is led in different countries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toodolou Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 maybe the patients would even walk out , lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 if i went into work tommorrow (nhs) and it was announced only doctor led services from now on , i think we would quickly have our first nurses strike !! its quite amazing how differently healthcare is led in different countries My oh is a dr and he'd be with you! He has a battle on his hands with some of the more old fashioned colleagues who think they need to see every patient. He trusts the nurses in his team to do their job and only to refer the tricky ones to him. He's always available to give advice if he's needed, but knows that the nurses are professionals who know their stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Oh no. I love my job in the nhs. It's fast paced and tiring but the nurses run the show. The doctors just turn up to do the procedures and then go. We do everything. It's completely nurse led. And we don't take any **** from the doctors either. I am lucky that the doctors where I work respect us and our knowledge. I find its usually the house officers that come waltzing in thinking they are something else. But after a couple of weeks of working with us we knock that out of them and they end up leaving as normal human beings ha ha. Not sure how I'll cope with having my autonomy stripped away from me though. Is it dr led everywhere? Debs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted October 23, 2013 Author Share Posted October 23, 2013 For those of you going to Oz, your in for a shock- but it might be a good one all depending on where you are. I had a fab experience there- new unit and a great team who implemented some of us brits ideas. Going to work was a pleasure. I never hardly ever felt stressed. Here (I work in mental health community) full on, non-stop, bed finder, admin, paperwork plus plus, staff finder and lastly nurse. You name it, we do it. I miss my aussie job where I could actually spend time with patients (what I did my training for). I'm not interested in the politics and bull I just want to be able to be a nurse. Not too much to ask really... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flathead Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 For those of you going to Oz, your in for a shock- but it might be a good one all depending on where you are. I had a fab experience there- new unit and a great team who implemented some of us brits ideas. Going to work was a pleasure. I never hardly ever felt stressed. Here (I work in mental health community) full on, non-stop, bed finder, admin, paperwork plus plus, staff finder and lastly nurse. You name it, we do it. I miss my aussie job where I could actually spend time with patients (what I did my training for). I'm not interested in the politics and bull I just want to be able to be a nurse. Not too much to ask really... That is very different to what I have seen in Mental Health here....standards are very poor really Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichway1 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I came back from Oz and made attempts to get a job in the NHS. One thing I know is their recruitment system is not acknowledging what it should. My years of experience as a senior nurse in Older Persons Mental Health was ignored and I did not get shortlisted for a junior role in the exact job I have been doing for years. It has kind of stung me a bit. I applied 3x and did not get shortlisted 3x ( I did get shortlisted for another trust but the commute was too far), not only that but they could give me absolutely no specific feedback relating to my application, which I think is ridiculous. Yet the job is continually being advertised (and I cannot see that they have THAT many vacancies for the same job in one department). So anyway, I am not applying anymore and got a care home job which I love AND they are much more accommodating. I have friends who work in the NHS, I know people who have taken early retirement as they just don't enjoy it anymore, I know mothers whose bosses will not let them cut their hours, it's basically, do this contract or lose your job. I am quite glad now (after being sickened) that I am out of it, and I don't plan to return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichway1 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I echo buttercup. My experience of mental health care in Oz was much better and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I felt that they were much happier to provide staff, liaise with staff and listen and mostly meet the needs of the unit. All of the patients were very well cared for and it seems sometimes that people complain about things like outdated practices, when were I was it just wasn't true. If people recover and are doing well and doctors are listening I don't see the relevance of a super modern approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flathead Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 I echo buttercup. My experience of mental health care in Oz was much better and I enjoyed it thoroughly. I felt that they were much happier to provide staff, liaise with staff and listen and mostly meet the needs of the unit. All of the patients were very well cared for and it seems sometimes that people complain about things like outdated practices, when were I was it just wasn't true. If people recover and are doing well and doctors are listening I don't see the relevance of a super modern approach. OK if you want to be a custodian and pill pusher I suppose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichway1 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 OK if you want to be a custodian and pill pusher I suppose Not where I worked. It was absolutely nothing like that. I was definitely more of a custodian here in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whichway1 Posted October 23, 2013 Share Posted October 23, 2013 Perhaps it is more down to specific units and places of work than countries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted October 24, 2013 Share Posted October 24, 2013 Perhaps it is more down to specific units and places of work than countries. I think that's definitely the case. We've moved so many times and seen how the quality of service varies from place to place. My oh does a lot of collaborative work with his old colleagues in Australia and they're all aiming for a similar goal, but he works in a developing and reasonably well funded service which is seen as progressive, so time, effort and money is given. I agree with Buttercup re being able to be a nurse. I really think that's what's different in some areas in the NHS and the reason I won't go back on the wards. I would want to do the job I'm trained for and in my brief foray back I realised I wouldn't be able to. Nursing has evolved, as it should, and there are some great opportunities for career progression (nurse run clinics, operating, colposcopy, day surgery etc), but in the 'Cinderella' services, such as care of the elderly and some mental health services, it seems that qualified nurses have to be everything to everyone and that's depressing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buttercup Posted October 24, 2013 Author Share Posted October 24, 2013 Hi Whichway- Hope your well! I also agree with the fact it boils down to the luck of the draw re jobs in Oz. I can honestly say that the place i worked was well staffed, the management supported and valued the staff and most importantly, the patients got very good care and in return we got good feedback from them. Having said that, I did hear some horror stories of shackles being used, over use of medication etc so I guess I was just lucky.i would seriously struggle to work in an environment that didn't share my morals and values regarding patient care which Is why I enjoyed my job there so much. I have been lucky on returning to the UK re employment BUT I have had my fingers burnt in the NHS now. I question what it is they want from us- blood sweat and tears and high staff turnovers as people just get fed up with it in the end and leave. I am giving it some time, but I want to get to my retirement without cardiac problems, high BP etc. Yes you get the pension and good leave but it comes at a cost. I'm really beginning to think as I said before, I'm in the right line of work but just not the right job! Grhhhh.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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