Managing director Rhonda Oliver Editor in chief Jean Gray Editor Graham Scott Deputy editors Elaine Cole, Janet Snell Assistant editor Roger Evans
Editorial
ART&SCIENCE Editor Gwen Clarke Deputy editors Sonia Davies, Tanya Fernandes Clinical editor Noreen Begley NEWS & VIEWS News editor Sarah Harrison Deputy news editor Sally Gillen Reporters Jennifer Sprinks, Kat Keogh Development editor Frances Pickersgill Features editor Thelma Agnew Reflections editor Clare Lomas PRODUCTION & DESIGN Head of production Fiona Maclean Senior production editor Julie Hickey Production manager Arnie Beeson Production editors Sarah Howe, Jennifer Oldfield Deputy production editor Justin Stevens Sub editors Yvonne Byron Nour, Joyce McKimm, Jennifer Saunders Art directors Ken McLoone, Paul Swainson Deputy art director Minesh Parmar Designer Sujata Aurora Picture editor Philip Brecht Deputy picture editor Helen Jones Assistant picture editor Karen Gordon Production assistant Annette Taylor-Anderson Ad production executives Sally Gauntlett, Sue Horn IT AND NEW MEDIA Technology director John Day Manager Alex Oldfield Web editor Amanda Carter IT assistant Kerry Taylor ADMINISTRATION Administration manager Maria O’Brien Editorial administrative assistants Sarah Musisi, Jane Yates BUSINESS UNIT Commercial director Tony O’Rourke PA to commercial director Kim Sanders Head of marketing Helen Sumner Deputy head of marketing Michelle Day Events executive Rachel Weeden Subscriptions manager Beryl John Group educational projects manager Laura Downes RGN Advertisement and sponsorship sales manager Neil Hobson Senior sponsorship and advertising specialist Julia Gomersall Advertisement and sponsorship executives Rachel Fisher, Kelly Smith Classified sales manager Andy McCallum Sales project specialist Freddie Collier Classified sales executives Mandy Croggon, Shona Gethin, Pamela Gethin, Stephanie Mackrill SUBSCRIPTIONS
Personal rates from £76.80 a year. Telephone +44 (0)345 772 6100 Institutional rates from £675 a year. Send all enquiries to [email protected] Visit www.nursing-standard.co.uk for details. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
The Heights, 59-65 Lowlands Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex HA1 3AW Tel: +44 (0)20 8423 1333 Fax: +44 (0)20 8872 3197 ISSN 0029-6570 Email: [email protected] You can email staff at Nursing Standard in the following way: (first name).(second name)@rcnpublishing.co.uk Nursing Standard is published every Wednesday by RCN Publishing Company Ltd, the publishing company of the Royal College of Nursing. It seeks to promote professional excellence, and encourage creativity and innovation in nursing, midwifery and health visiting practice. Nursing Standard also aims to enhance nurses’ and healthcare assistants’ career development and to help them achieve and maintain a healthy and rewarding working environment. Nursing Standard is editorially independent and the opinions expressed are not those of the RCN or of the contributor’s employing organisation unless specifically stated. Acceptance of an advertisement does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of a product or service, either by the RCN or RCN Publishing.
Graham Scott EDITOR
Nurses’ voices amplify reality of staff shortages ‘On occasions, staffing levels are bordering on dangerous. We are in a Mid Staffs situation and I don’t believe we are the only ones.’ So said a respondent to a Unison survey conducted on March 4, the findings of which were published this week. Others spoke of being the only registered nurse on a 13-hour shift, and nurse-to-patient ratios of one to 13. Such comments help paint a picture of a health service under serious strain. Almost two thirds of the 3,000 nursing staff who took part in the survey said they did not have enough time with patients, and more than half reported that care was not being provided as a result. It is shocking that 45 per cent of nurses said they were caring for more than eight patients at a time, a situation which has been proved to be dangerous. Unison’s head of nursing Gail Adams called this kind of pressure unsustainable and reminded us, ‘Harm occurs when staffing levels are not right.’
STAFF DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME WITH PATIENTS AND CARE WAS NOT BEING PROVIDED
In many ways, Unison’s survey tells us what we already know: there are not enough staff on duty to cope with demand and deliver the quality of care that patients deserve and expect. What brings it to life are the voices of nurses who have to deal with the consequences. One commented: ‘I did not feel able to provide the type of care I would have liked to the patients. It felt more like a conveyor belt. No compassion, little dignity, I left at the end of my shift feeling distraught and that perhaps I have made a huge mistake training as a registered nurse.’ It is sad to read such a demoralising comment, but at least the nursing students who attended the RCN Bulletin jobs fair last week appear to be relishing the challenge that awaits. One spoke of nursing being a ‘fabulous career’, another of it being rewarding. Generally they tended to say that pay had not influenced their career choice, making the oft-quoted remark ‘no one goes into nursing for the money’. Let’s hope these students can retain their enthusiasm when reality bites after they qualify. See News pages 7 and 8 Air your views on
Nursing Standard and
@NScomment
Have your say by joining our weekly Twitter debate. Every Thursday from 12.30 to 1.30 use #NScomment and share your views with other nurses on a hot topic of the day april 16 :: vol 28 no 33 :: 2014 3
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 11, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
Editorial
ART&SCIENCE Editor Gwen Clarke Deputy editors Sonia Davies, Tanya Fernandes Clinical editor Noreen Begley NEWS & VIEWS News editor Sarah Harrison Deputy news editor Sally Gillen Reporters Jennifer Sprinks, Kat Keogh Development editor Frances Pickersgill Features editor Thelma Agnew Reflections editor Clare Lomas PRODUCTION & DESIGN Head of production Fiona Maclean Senior production editor Julie Hickey Production manager Arnie Beeson Production editors Sarah Howe, Jennifer Oldfield Deputy production editor Justin Stevens Sub editors Yvonne Byron Nour, Joyce McKimm, Jennifer Saunders Art directors Ken McLoone, Paul Swainson Deputy art director Minesh Parmar Designer Sujata Aurora Picture editor Philip Brecht Deputy picture editor Helen Jones Assistant picture editor Karen Gordon Production assistant Annette Taylor-Anderson Ad production executives Sally Gauntlett, Sue Horn IT AND NEW MEDIA Technology director John Day Manager Alex Oldfield Web editor Amanda Carter IT assistant Kerry Taylor ADMINISTRATION Administration manager Maria O’Brien Editorial administrative assistants Sarah Musisi, Jane Yates BUSINESS UNIT Commercial director Tony O’Rourke PA to commercial director Kim Sanders Head of marketing Helen Sumner Deputy head of marketing Michelle Day Events executive Rachel Weeden Subscriptions manager Beryl John Group educational projects manager Laura Downes RGN Advertisement and sponsorship sales manager Neil Hobson Senior sponsorship and advertising specialist Julia Gomersall Advertisement and sponsorship executives Rachel Fisher, Kelly Smith Classified sales manager Andy McCallum Sales project specialist Freddie Collier Classified sales executives Mandy Croggon, Shona Gethin, Pamela Gethin, Stephanie Mackrill SUBSCRIPTIONS
Personal rates from £76.80 a year. Telephone +44 (0)345 772 6100 Institutional rates from £675 a year. Send all enquiries to [email protected] Visit www.nursing-standard.co.uk for details. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
The Heights, 59-65 Lowlands Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex HA1 3AW Tel: +44 (0)20 8423 1333 Fax: +44 (0)20 8872 3197 ISSN 0029-6570 Email: [email protected] You can email staff at Nursing Standard in the following way: (first name).(second name)@rcnpublishing.co.uk Nursing Standard is published every Wednesday by RCN Publishing Company Ltd, the publishing company of the Royal College of Nursing. It seeks to promote professional excellence, and encourage creativity and innovation in nursing, midwifery and health visiting practice. Nursing Standard also aims to enhance nurses’ and healthcare assistants’ career development and to help them achieve and maintain a healthy and rewarding working environment. Nursing Standard is editorially independent and the opinions expressed are not those of the RCN or of the contributor’s employing organisation unless specifically stated. Acceptance of an advertisement does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of a product or service, either by the RCN or RCN Publishing.
Graham Scott EDITOR
Nurses’ voices amplify reality of staff shortages ‘On occasions, staffing levels are bordering on dangerous. We are in a Mid Staffs situation and I don’t believe we are the only ones.’ So said a respondent to a Unison survey conducted on March 4, the findings of which were published this week. Others spoke of being the only registered nurse on a 13-hour shift, and nurse-to-patient ratios of one to 13. Such comments help paint a picture of a health service under serious strain. Almost two thirds of the 3,000 nursing staff who took part in the survey said they did not have enough time with patients, and more than half reported that care was not being provided as a result. It is shocking that 45 per cent of nurses said they were caring for more than eight patients at a time, a situation which has been proved to be dangerous. Unison’s head of nursing Gail Adams called this kind of pressure unsustainable and reminded us, ‘Harm occurs when staffing levels are not right.’
STAFF DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME WITH PATIENTS AND CARE WAS NOT BEING PROVIDED
In many ways, Unison’s survey tells us what we already know: there are not enough staff on duty to cope with demand and deliver the quality of care that patients deserve and expect. What brings it to life are the voices of nurses who have to deal with the consequences. One commented: ‘I did not feel able to provide the type of care I would have liked to the patients. It felt more like a conveyor belt. No compassion, little dignity, I left at the end of my shift feeling distraught and that perhaps I have made a huge mistake training as a registered nurse.’ It is sad to read such a demoralising comment, but at least the nursing students who attended the RCN Bulletin jobs fair last week appear to be relishing the challenge that awaits. One spoke of nursing being a ‘fabulous career’, another of it being rewarding. Generally they tended to say that pay had not influenced their career choice, making the oft-quoted remark ‘no one goes into nursing for the money’. Let’s hope these students can retain their enthusiasm when reality bites after they qualify. See News pages 7 and 8 Air your views on
Nursing Standard and
@NScomment
Have your say by joining our weekly Twitter debate. Every Thursday from 12.30 to 1.30 use #NScomment and share your views with other nurses on a hot topic of the day april 16 :: vol 28 no 33 :: 2014 3
Downloaded from RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Nov 11, 2015. For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
