Current Affairs In Nursing

“The strikes have emphasized the importance of recognizing and valuing the nursing profession. There is a renewed focus on empowering nurses, and acknowledging their contributions to healthcare.”

It goes without saying that recent times have been unsettling for the NHS and its nurses. Covering the strikes and the conversations they have sparked, as well as the future of nursing and NHS pay, Amira goes in-depth on the ongoing issues affecting the nursing profession.

The Nursing Strikes

Following the strikes organized by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the UK, several developments and considerations have come to the forefront regarding nursing affairs.

These strikes, initiated by the RCN to address concerns over pay, working conditions, and staff shortages, have sparked discussions and actions aimed at improving the nursing profession and the overall healthcare system in the country.

Pay And Working Conditions

The RCN strikes have drawn attention to the issue of nursing pay and the need for fair compensation for the valuable work nurses perform. The strikes have prompted discussions around improving salary structures, ensuring competitive wages, and addressing discrepancies across different nursing roles and specialties.

Additionally, the strikes have underscored the importance of creating supportive working environments that prioritize the well-being and job satisfaction of nurses.

Staff Shortages

The RCN strikes have shed light on the critical issue of staff shortages within the nursing workforce. The strikes have highlighted the need for increased recruitment efforts, improved retention strategies, and enhanced investment in nursing education and training.

Addressing staff shortages is crucial to maintain safe staffing levels, reduce workload burdens, and ensure the delivery of high-quality, patient-centred care.

Professional Recognition & Empowerment

The strikes have emphasized the importance of recognizing and valuing the nursing profession. There has been a renewed focus on empowering nurses, involving them in decision-making processes, and acknowledging their expertise and contributions to healthcare.

Enhancing professional recognition can help boost morale, job satisfaction, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Advocacy For Patient Safety

The RCN strikes have served as a platform for advocating patient safety. Nurses have highlighted the potential risks associated with understaffing, excessive workloads, and inadequate resources.

The strikes have urged policymakers and healthcare organizations to prioritize patient safety by addressing these concerns and implementing measures that ensure optimal care standards.

The strikes have emphasized the importance of recognizing and valuing the nursing profession. There is a renewed focus on empowering nurses, and acknowledging their contributions to healthcare.

The Outcome Of The Strikes

The outcome of these strikes is that NHS nurses will get a pay increase of 5%, and a one-off payment of at least £1891. This one-off payment rises depending on banding and experience.

A lot of people, including unions, are not happy with this as it does not match inflation rates. In April 2023, the UK's annual inflation rate of 8.7% Consumer price inflation rose in many countries during 2021 and 2022; pandemic-related supply shortages were a major factor.

As the global economy recovered from its pandemic-related recession, there was increased demand for products and materials. The conflict in Ukraine also led to higher commodity prices (mainly in the first half of 2022), pushing up inflation around the world.

The Future Of Nursing

The future of nursing is changing not only in the UK, but across the globe. I believe that we will continue to see burn out and staffing issues. We have already seen many nurses leaving the profession; some completely leave nursing whereas others have left to join agencies or gone to a different role.

Research from the King Edward's Trust found that many nurses leave with in the age range of 25 to 34 years old. According to the latest findings from the NHS Staff Survey, it reveals that 34 percent of nurses frequently contemplated leaving their profession.

Additionally, 52 percent experienced work-related stress to the extent that it negatively impacted their well-being, and 40 percent reported feeling burnt out due to their work.

Now speaking from experience, I did leave the NHS. I worked for 2.5 years in the NHS, but by the end of this period I was burnt out, constantly having eczema flare ups due to stress, and overall fed up. We were constantly short staffed and due to this we did often times have a ‘skill mix’ issue.

Will NHS Nursing Pay Catch Up With Inflation?

Do I believe nurses will get paid their worth? Honestly, No. I don’t believe NHS nursing pay will ever catch up with inflation and I don’t believe nurses will see their worth in their payslip.

Now, I may be wrong and to be completely honest I hope I am. But when you look back nursing pay have never been the greatest. Even speaking to some of my elder colleagues who trained in the 80s, they have always said “Nursing was always seen as a vocation, we always knew it would never pay well but it’s what we enjoyed”.

Now I do believe after reading this a lot of people will ask “why go into a profession that doesn’t pay well?”Honestly, I don’t know. A lot of us enjoy caring for others, and being there for others in a way not everyone can be. I am still on the bank for theatres, and I still go back at least once a month.

Do I go for the money? No, I genuinely loved it. I was so upset when I left but unfortunately, I realised I have to put myself first and do what was best for my life. I am a firm believer that nurses are some of the most compassionate and caring people that you will meet. Granted, everyone has off days and that has the potential to lead to a negative experience, however I don’t believe the NHS would survive without our nurses.

Conclusion

Overall, the RCN strikes have catalysed important conversations and actions within the nursing profession and the UK healthcare system.

By addressing issues such as pay, working conditions, staff shortages, professional recognition, and patient safety, stakeholders are working towards creating a more sustainable, supportive, and patient-centred nursing environment.

The aftermath of these strikes has emphasized the need for ongoing efforts and collaboration to drive positive change and ensure a robust and resilient nursing workforce that can meet the evolving healthcare needs of the UK population.

After the strikes and disgruntlement towards the pay deal, it has shown that many nurses were not in the career for the money and due to that they deserve more recognition and praise for their efforts in keeping our health care system alive.

Thank you for reading.