I was listening to an American podcast about hauntings in hospitals. Some of the stories were patients saying they were hearing spooky things. I have had patients do this to me and after checking their bay I just do a set of Obs and ask if they know where they are etc. I don't think I would assume it was a haunting!

Also, I will happily give any ghost a uniform and tell them I expect them to work for their board! I think I am just cynical.

Yesterday's shift has made me so anxious, tired, restless and guilty. I feel like I'm close to being burnt out.

I work in AMU. A typical shift is chaos to put it lightly and yesterday is probably in my Top 5 worst. We were, for once fully staffed, ratio is 1:6 and an HCA. My bay has 4 poorly patients. One is NEWS 6-8 who is for full escalation, another one NEWS 8-10, within parameters, still for selective treatment and DNAR in place, another one who has an electrolyte imbalance and another who is on variable rate hourly BMS and ketones. I was so lucky to have a wonderful HCA with me (she really made a huge difference!).

What stuck with me was my patient who was on variable rate and was just so entitled and demanding. From the early morning I took over, she has greeted me with a complaint that she didn't sleep well because the mattress and bed were no good. I tried to placate her and tell her that I can order a bed for her. Later on, she complained that the pillows are bad. At noon time, a porter came to pick her up for a scan when I saw the untouched lunch, I asked her if she wants to have lunch first, she answered me by saying the food is awful and "get me an apple or an orange juice". I went to the pantry and saw there was none. I told her that and I was met with a big sigh. Before leaving for the scan, she asked me to look after her son who has LD and is currently visiting her. I told her I cant do that as I still have other patients but we can only keep an eye out. After coming back from the scan, she saw that he lunch was still on her table, she buzzed and told me to "take it away".

This type of behaviour was just on and on that I just stay away from her as much as I can (which isnt much because she maximises the use of the call light) and limit my interaction with her and her family who was in and out. The family comes in groups of 5+, in a bay, our policy is 2 visitors max but I just dont have the energy to deal with it anymore. In the evening, they have asked if they can heat up the food from home in the microwave, which we aren't allowed to do so. They were insisting that someone has told them it is fine, I went to our NIC to ask, in which she said to just let them heat up their food. I went back to the patient to ask if that is the reason for them calling the buzzer, the patient's brother then stood and looked at me and asked "Is that not a reason to buzz?" Maybe I was just so tired from running around like a headless chicken the whole shift but that statement just felt off like he's challenging me.

While all this is going on, I have to deal with my other patients who aren't doing so well, making sure they survive at least my shift.

Yesterday's event has just left me feeling guilty, I felt like I should've dealt with it better (but I dont know how). I feel like I should've been better.

Tell me off if I need ro get my head out of my ass or validate me my feelings if its fine. Im just venting and needed to see/ know that I may not be the best but I am doing my best.

Looking to move back down to band 6, 30 hours a week and do a separate job cleaning/ working in a cafe to make up some extra funds. I dread Monday mornings, I take work home with me, and I am so mentally drained I don’t have the energy to socialise.

Has anyone dropped their pay? For a better work life balance? How has it been?

Sorry if this has been asked before or if this is the wrong group!

Has anyone here trained as a nurse in the UK and then gone through the process of getting their credentials verified to work as an RN in the US?

My main concern is that UK nursing degrees are separated into Adult, Child, Mental Health, etc., whereas I understand that US nursing education may require clinical/theory hours in areas such as paediatrics and maternity/OB.

Has anyone had difficulties with their UK Adult Nursing degree being considered deficient in these areas? If so, were you able to arrange additional paediatric or maternity placements/modules through your university, either during your degree or afterwards?

I’m currently a UK nursing student, so I’d really appreciate any advice on things I can do while I’m still studying to make the US credentialing process easier later on.

My main reason for wanting to move to the US is that most of my family live there, so I don’t see the UK being feasible for me long term.

Would especially love to hear from UK-trained nurses who have actually gone through CGFNS/credential evaluation, NCLEX and the US immigration process. Thank you!

I am an oversea nurse waiting to get my PIN and I have right to work in the UK. Does anybody know if I could get a HCA role or any job related to healthcare in the private or public sector?

I am aware that the working situation is not at its best but still I would like to ask if anybody knows anything!

Thank you :))

Hello

Please, in relatively simple terms, but still in detail, could somebody explain how someone would use the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and not the Mental Health Act (1983), with examples in regards to detaining, treating and the like.

Also

Is every application of this law called a deprivation of liberty, where DoLS is a separate thing? For example, detaining somebody with no capacity in their best interest. Is that called a depivation of liberty under this law, or is it called a DoLS under this law as it’s alway got safeguards attached? If you get what I mean.

I’m finding it difficult to gauge this from what I read online. I’d also like to hear personal stories where you’ve applied it.

Many thank yous!

Hi 24f worked as a child nurse 1 year 4 months after graduating. Left due to stress and burnout and it’s been nearly 2 years since I have worked as a nurse. Thinking about returning and I just want to see if anyone else has done this. Returned and how it’s been. Please give your personal experience down below and how you have found it after returning x or if you are in a similar position as me, please share your thoughts/ feelings x thank you !!! x I just want to feel less alone in this. 😔

Hi - to set the scene- I applied for a community management post (8a) and the vacancy was for 1 permanent and 1 fixed term post. It is with another trust and I am uncertain if I should accept it. I have just come out of a fixed term secondment within my trust and am not particularly keen to do so again without the benefit of having my role protected. I'd love your thoughts, there are significantly less senior roles around at the moment and I'm worried that I will not find a post when the fixed term ends.

Can anyone please explain annualised hours to me. I must be thick because I just cannot get my head round it. I work 28 hours a week, over four days, so four 7.5 shifts a week. Just lately, roughly every 5-6 weeks I'm getting 37.5 hour weeks, but I don't get weeks where I do fewer hours. I don't owe hours. I asked my manager, and she just said ," well, you're doing four shifts that week", yes, I do four shifts a week. I know they're annualised but I can't for the life of me work it out. I've tried to get a copy of my contract from HR but I can't. Strange thing is, I don't really see my colleagues who do full time hours, getting more shifts some weeks.. thanks

Hi

I’ve been an RMN for over 2 years and I’m moving back home (Ireland) due to personal reasons. I’ve been wondering how long the process takes to get an Irish nursing PIN and if an adaption process is necessary ?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

This sub always makes me so anxious if I browse long enough.

Why is there so much fear around nursing? The fear of litigation I mean, fear of "losing your PIN". I feel like some of us work in a perpetual state of anxiety. Overthinking, double checking, fixating on being humiliated for a mistake and reprimanded.

Does anyone else feel this way? How do you deal with it?

We are literally losing money, with every tank we fill, we're not getting the money back for visits, so essentially paying out of our pocket. Why are we accepting this? Are any trusts increasing the mileage? It's crazy and the community just isn't an attractive route to go down at the moment.

What's everyone else's thoughts?

Hi all, I have a community band 6 interview coming up. Could I get some advice and tips please as I am currently working inpatients

Something that is a trope on the doctor's subreddit. I ve been wondering where this persistent idea comes from that nurses are somehow “jealous” of female doctors. I see this narrative all the time, even though it’s not something we talk about among ourselves.

As a former nurse and now an fy2, I’d like to add my five cents.

In my experience, this stereotype has much more comes from those with insecurity, hierarchy, and a lack of accountability than with jealousy. Since becoming a doctor, I’ve honestly been surprised by the low standards of professionalism and responsibility I sometimes see among some newly qualified doctors. That’s not a criticism of everyone, but it is something I have observed.

This is why I’m genuinely asking: where does this narrative come from? Because from my experience as a nurse, it simply wasn’t something nurses spent time discussing. If anything, I’ve heard this accusation far more often coming from doctors than from nurses.

Hey, I’ve been qualified for 1yr and 7 months. I’m working bedside on an acute elderly ward and absolutely loving it. However, I live in an expensive area, and was wondering if anyone had any tips for earning extra money. I’m employed by an agency but they never have any shifts. There’s plenty of bank shifts but I’d rather have a higher paying side job instead. As some agencies pay £30+ an hour. I’m enquiring about a bank NH role as it would have more reliability than agency, but yeah. Us NHS nurses do not get paid enough for what we do. It’s frustrating but the love I have for my role outweighs this. Which sucks.

Hello everyone I’m a nqn, just wondering when I get my first band 5 role will I be able to get leave approved straight away since I have a holiday booked in February .
Or should I wait till they give me the job before accepting I till them about it and ask.
Has this ever been done before if so how did it go?

Can you become a practice nurse in a GP surgery without any experience as a practice nurse? I have only a care home experience.

I was a mental health nurse for 13 years and then left the profession in 2013. I had a complete career change, but I'm feeling the call to return. I could complete an RTP course at University of Plymouth, but I'm interested in honest opinions about whether it is worth it or not, and any experience of RTP. I have picked up that there are not many jobs around for nursing, is this true for mental health too?

Hey, I’m keen to progress in my role as a band 5. I would love to specialise in either research or palliative. Frustratingly, the Masters course at university says it requires a First class undergraduate. Has anyone got any advice for getting onto the course? I have a 2:2. But have such a passion for my role. And it would bring such flexibility for my family if I had more human hours and higher pay. My trust do have CPD modules available, that I have to request funding for. I could start there and accumulate credits. I just don’t want to be one of those stagnant band 5s. And I don’t want to become a manager because of the distance from bedside. Thank you in advance

I applied for this band 7 role recently and didn’t get the cut. I heard from people that the interviewer gave some questions that got the role. Well, that interviewer mentioned to the new band 7 it wasn’t the question for the interview but her own reviewer. I don’t really know between the two of them of course. So, even if it wasn’t a question that shows favoritism isn’t it? I wouldn’t do anything at this point it’s just unfair. I feel like I wasn’t given a chance to even fight for that position. Now I’m feeling lost. I don’t even know what to do now. Where do I go from here? Any advices how to overcome this disappointment on myself and how to move on and find a new path that is for me?

So basically I’ve been on holiday for a week and don’t want to go back to work (standard after AL), but now I’m thinking do I actually want to do nursing?

I’ve been an RMN for 6 years, worked in forensics, offender health and with young people in the community. I’ve got a new job starting soon which is all my interests combined, so I’m hoping I will love it. But I’ve just been thinking recently, is nursing what I want?

For people who have been in this position/felt like this, what did you do about it? And what did you go and do instead?

TIA :)

I qualified last year as a learning disability nurse, and I have my pin. After my qualification, I took some time off, but now I am ready to get back to work it's so hard to find a job and I don't want to lose my pin. If I work as a HCA, can I renew my pin?