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NHS Nurses - Respected Profession?
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By *aeBabe OP Woman
over a year ago
London |
I'm going to say a thought and it may come out a little jumbled but please bear with me.
I'm under the impression that people, particularly the youth, look down on the nursing profession. The job is predominantly a thankless one, with low salaries, not a lot of respect and even abuse from patients and their family members.
I was born in the UK and grew up here but lived out in the Philippines for some years and during that time I did my nursing degree.
I feel that the youth of the UK don't consider nursing as a viable profession to enter into because it is so poorly compensated and even if they do, a lot of British nurses leave for other countries like NZ/USA/OZ due to better salaries, work/life balance being much more - balanced and the impression of the nursing profession being more respected.
In the USA, according to the Bureau of Labor a registered nurse salary in California (higher than the national average) is $102,700 (2017) which is equivalent to £78,707.
In the UK, the average salary of a registered nurse in London is £25,000 (band 5) or at the higher end (band 6) £36,000.
Side note:
Income tax in the UK starts at 20%
Income tax in California is 12.3%
Basically what I'm trying to point out is that if the profession was more financially attractive, most of the downsides would pale in comparison and more Bitish trained nurses would not leave this country in droves in search of "greener pastures".
How do we fix this? How do we change the image of nursing?
It's something that deeply saddens me because no matter how much the government tries to make up for the numbers with EU and non-EU nurses the conditions and situation hasn't changed. |
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By *adeiteWoman
over a year ago
Staffordshire |
The same can be said for other countries who come to Britain to practice nursing or doctors. While we may flee for the prospect of better pay ect, we're not the only ones.
I was a carer for 4 years. Im a chef by trade. I have an honours degree in computing and I considered my nursing degree in midwifery before discovering I couldn't get funding.
I have well paid things I could be doing but it's also down to what you love doing, what your passion is. Money isn't the be all and end all. Although it helps.
But our nurses should be paid more for what they do.
The drs may diagnose and prescribe but it's always the nurses there to take care of you and help you however they possibly can.
So to all nurses. Thank you for everything you do. |
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By *aeBabe OP Woman
over a year ago
London |
"The same can be said for other countries who come to Britain to practice nursing or doctors. While we may flee for the prospect of better pay ect, we're not the only ones.
I was a carer for 4 years. Im a chef by trade. I have an honours degree in computing and I considered my nursing degree in midwifery before discovering I couldn't get funding.
I have well paid things I could be doing but it's also down to what you love doing, what your passion is. Money isn't the be all and end all. Although it helps.
But our nurses should be paid more for what they do.
The drs may diagnose and prescribe but it's always the nurses there to take care of you and help you however they possibly can.
So to all nurses. Thank you for everything you do. "
Owww yes, definitely. Most of my peers from the Philippines have moved out of the Philippines to other countries for work.
Absolutely, however money can help you to do the things you love.
I go to work looking forward to seeing my patients (I work in a clinic so know most of them for years). I don't think I could stay in this job if I dreaded it.
For the work we do the compensation is definitely not enough.
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"The same can be said for other countries who come to Britain to practice nursing or doctors. While we may flee for the prospect of better pay ect, we're not the only ones.
I was a carer for 4 years. Im a chef by trade. I have an honours degree in computing and I considered my nursing degree in midwifery before discovering I couldn't get funding.
I have well paid things I could be doing but it's also down to what you love doing, what your passion is. Money isn't the be all and end all. Although it helps.
But our nurses should be paid more for what they do.
The drs may diagnose and prescribe but it's always the nurses there to take care of you and help you however they possibly can.
So to all nurses. Thank you for everything you do.
Owww yes, definitely. Most of my peers from the Philippines have moved out of the Philippines to other countries for work.
Absolutely, however money can help you to do the things you love.
I go to work looking forward to seeing my patients (I work in a clinic so know most of them for years). I don't think I could stay in this job if I dreaded it.
For the work we do the compensation is definitely not enough.
"
And as nursing in the UK doesn't pay well enough, no one wants to do it, except nurses from abroad who are paid more than in their own countries.
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I have nothing but respect for nurses, I looked at trying to become a nurse in my early twenties. Due to an illness I was talked out of it.
I know several nurses who left the NHS, to join agencies. They go back to the same hospital, doing the same job but twice the salary. |
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By *aeBabe OP Woman
over a year ago
London |
"The same can be said for other countries who come to Britain to practice nursing or doctors. While we may flee for the prospect of better pay ect, we're not the only ones.
I was a carer for 4 years. Im a chef by trade. I have an honours degree in computing and I considered my nursing degree in midwifery before discovering I couldn't get funding.
I have well paid things I could be doing but it's also down to what you love doing, what your passion is. Money isn't the be all and end all. Although it helps.
But our nurses should be paid more for what they do.
The drs may diagnose and prescribe but it's always the nurses there to take care of you and help you however they possibly can.
So to all nurses. Thank you for everything you do.
Owww yes, definitely. Most of my peers from the Philippines have moved out of the Philippines to other countries for work.
Absolutely, however money can help you to do the things you love.
I go to work looking forward to seeing my patients (I work in a clinic so know most of them for years). I don't think I could stay in this job if I dreaded it.
For the work we do the compensation is definitely not enough.
And as nursing in the UK doesn't pay well enough, no one wants to do it, except nurses from abroad who are paid more than in their own countries.
"
A months salary here is more than a years salary in the Philippines. |
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By *HaRiFMan
over a year ago
Beyond the shadows. |
Most workers are underpaid in the NHS compared to the private sector. The Doctors don't fair much better at band 6 starting at just above £26k.
But to encourage nursing they could restart the bursaries again.
|
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By *aeBabe OP Woman
over a year ago
London |
"I have nothing but respect for nurses, I looked at trying to become a nurse in my early twenties. Due to an illness I was talked out of it.
I know several nurses who left the NHS, to join agencies. They go back to the same hospital, doing the same job but twice the salary."
And that is truly sad isn't it. The NHS doesn't pay nurses adequately yet due to staff shortages have to hire agency nurses who are paid more. |
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By *aeBabe OP Woman
over a year ago
London |
"Most workers are underpaid in the NHS compared to the private sector. The Doctors don't fair much better at band 6 starting at just above £26k.
But to encourage nursing they could restart the bursaries again.
"
I left the NHS to work in the private sector. My sister is a doctor in the NHS and my brother also works in the NHS due to having his degree funded through a bursary.
But I can tell you, they aren't too far behind me.
Bursaries are great but at the end of it is the pay even worth it for the job at hand? |
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By *HaRiFMan
over a year ago
Beyond the shadows. |
"Most workers are underpaid in the NHS compared to the private sector. The Doctors don't fair much better at band 6 starting at just above £26k.
But to encourage nursing they could restart the bursaries again.
I left the NHS to work in the private sector. My sister is a doctor in the NHS and my brother also works in the NHS due to having his degree funded through a bursary.
But I can tell you, they aren't too far behind me.
Bursaries are great but at the end of it is the pay even worth it for the job at hand?"
No but its a start, a decent pay deal would have helped, not the con they pulled off last year. |
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The important bit to remember is that the nursing qualification is a degree... just the same as electronics..or engineering..or arts. They are highly qualified professionals and should be rewarded as such |
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By *r.BlondeMan
over a year ago
Chester/Wirral |
"Problem is the youth of today have no respect. Raised by hooligans. Discipline is required.
Apart from not being true and a massive generalisation ........it has nothing to do with nurses pay  "
Talking about when they get abuse from patients. |
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Alot of my friends are nurses and i almost became one myself but went and studied healthcare science instead. The dropout rate is high and i think alot of young people are put off studying it now the bursaries are gone. I spent over a month in hospital in August and have had them visiting me every week at home since then and im so grateful! I loved my nurses in hospital and the ones i have now. Im seriously considering a career change now because of them once im well enough. Thank you NHS Nurses! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
We have the utmost respect for all emergency services staff. We feel the pay is disgusting and should be addressed . You guys do an awesome job. I Jez had a cancer op last year and cannot praise the nursing staff enough. It's about time the government lost the right to decided their out pay rises and put it in the public hands to decide. |
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By *ill74Man
over a year ago
New forest area |
"I'm going to say a thought and it may come out a little jumbled but please bear with me.
I'm under the impression that people, particularly the youth, look down on the nursing profession. The job is predominantly a thankless one, with low salaries, not a lot of respect and even abuse from patients and their family members.
I was born in the UK and grew up here but lived out in the Philippines for some years and during that time I did my nursing degree.
I feel that the youth of the UK don't consider nursing as a viable profession to enter into because it is so poorly compensated and even if they do, a lot of British nurses leave for other countries like NZ/USA/OZ due to better salaries, work/life balance being much more - balanced and the impression of the nursing profession being more respected.
In the USA, according to the Bureau of Labor a registered nurse salary in California (higher than the national average) is $102,700 (2017) which is equivalent to £78,707.
In the UK, the average salary of a registered nurse in London is £25,000 (band 5) or at the higher end (band 6) £36,000.
Side note:
Income tax in the UK starts at 20%
Income tax in California is 12.3%
Basically what I'm trying to point out is that if the profession was more financially attractive, most of the downsides would pale in comparison and more Bitish trained nurses would not leave this country in droves in search of "greener pastures".
How do we fix this? How do we change the image of nursing?
It's something that deeply saddens me because no matter how much the government tries to make up for the numbers with EU and non-EU nurses the conditions and situation hasn't changed."
I have total respect for nurses/ambulance staff etc etc.
We should be tougher on people who assault NHS staff.
I for one, don't mind NI going up to help the NHS. Ultimately we need better/newer hospitals.
I actually think there should be a reality show on nurses, just like there is on ambulance staff.
I think the NHS need to visit schools, primary and secondary, and explain what you do. Inspire people, make them think.
And thank you! |
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I have respect for people. Full stop. Regardless of their jobs.
I wouldn't do nursing unless I had no option. I'm too selfish and not cut out for caring.
That said , one phenomena that I detest in society is how some individuals are put on a pedestal because of their profession.
Some nurses are awful at their job and awful people. Same goes for fire fighters etc... So many people put nurses on a pedestal for no good reason. It's a job they do for pay. Thank goodness they do it but they are paid. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
Most nurses don't do it for the money. The worse thing that happened was doing away with bursaries and secondments of support staff. In my opinion support staff make much better nurses than those straight from uni. They have started this level 4 thing but all that has done is create a position like the old enrolled nurses. But then why will they pay for qualified nurses when they train unqualified for the same thing? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I have respect for people. Full stop. Regardless of their jobs.
I wouldn't do nursing unless I had no option. I'm too selfish and not cut out for caring.
That said , one phenomena that I detest in society is how some individuals are put on a pedestal because of their profession.
Some nurses are awful at their job and awful people. Same goes for fire fighters etc... So many people put nurses on a pedestal for no good reason. It's a job they do for pay. Thank goodness they do it but they are paid."
Totally agree, like everyone in the army isn’t a hero. We all do jobs where there are risks involved, it’s a risk driving to work.Everyone knows what their job involves when they sign up, it’s their choice. And usually they are rewarded with good money, I don’t think anyone is more of an angel or a hero because of their job. People can leave the job anytime and do something less dangerous or less stressful, no one should be a martyr. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Most nurses don't do it for the money. The worse thing that happened was doing away with bursaries and secondments of support staff. In my opinion support staff make much better nurses than those straight from uni. They have started this level 4 thing but all that has done is create a position like the old enrolled nurses. But then why will they pay for qualified nurses when they train unqualified for the same thing? "
I'm sorry, but your first sentence simply isn't true anymore. This is the same excuse successive governments have been plopping out over the decades to keep wages low. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I'm going to say a thought and it may come out a little jumbled but please bear with me.
I'm under the impression that people, particularly the youth, look down on the nursing profession. The job is predominantly a thankless one, with low salaries, not a lot of respect and even abuse from patients and their family members.
I was born in the UK and grew up here but lived out in the Philippines for some years and during that time I did my nursing degree.
I feel that the youth of the UK don't consider nursing as a viable profession to enter into because it is so poorly compensated and even if they do, a lot of British nurses leave for other countries like NZ/USA/OZ due to better salaries, work/life balance being much more - balanced and the impression of the nursing profession being more respected.
In the USA, according to the Bureau of Labor a registered nurse salary in California (higher than the national average) is $102,700 (2017) which is equivalent to £78,707.
In the UK, the average salary of a registered nurse in London is £25,000 (band 5) or at the higher end (band 6) £36,000.
Side note:
Income tax in the UK starts at 20%
Income tax in California is 12.3%
Basically what I'm trying to point out is that if the profession was more financially attractive, most of the downsides would pale in comparison and more Bitish trained nurses would not leave this country in droves in search of "greener pastures".
How do we fix this? How do we change the image of nursing?
It's something that deeply saddens me because no matter how much the government tries to make up for the numbers with EU and non-EU nurses the conditions and situation hasn't changed."
I think it should go back to being able to apply without having to have a degree |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Most nurses don't do it for the money. The worse thing that happened was doing away with bursaries and secondments of support staff. In my opinion support staff make much better nurses than those straight from uni. They have started this level 4 thing but all that has done is create a position like the old enrolled nurses. But then why will they pay for qualified nurses when they train unqualified for the same thing?
I'm sorry, but your first sentence simply isn't true anymore. This is the same excuse successive governments have been plopping out over the decades to keep wages low."
From my experience on the front line it is |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I recently dropped wage for a job where I’m 10000000 times happier. I’m one that doesn’t do it for the money.
"
Me neither, I could earn double what I earn if I went house bashing on big sites, but I take pride in my work and like to see the finished results. |
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Of course nurses should earn more .
But first we all need to realise that the nhs has only so much to give . If it isn’t there , they can’t pay it .
And when you see cases where the nhs is sued for malpractice to the tune of £10,000,000 for one case we will never have it will we ? And this is just one example of thousands that happen every year .
We have a free service where the nurses , doctors and surgeons do their very best and get sued left right and centre . Crazy .
Not only this , but there are adverts all the bloody time telling people to do just this . And this is the world we live in
 |
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Respect yes, massive. Wages are genrally defined by the supply of your skill or difficulty/cost to replace rather than what you know, how hard you work or the qualifications you have. Nursing is a bit of a special case in the UK due to the NHS. Afterall the NHS is by far the biggest employer of Nurses and unlike a business they will not lose their customers through poor service by not having enough staff. Effectively they can fix a wage regardless of supply or true value of a nurse in a way that buisness can't. This is why unlike buisness a shortage of Nurses has done little to increase wages because the NHS will not lose its customers over a shortage. Unfair yes. Ask they public should nurses be paid more, most would say yes. Ask the public should we raise taxes or cut other services to pay nurses better, oh no no no. There is the problem, no one wants to pay more, the government can fix the wage (whatever the labour market forces) and there ain't much options in the UK than to work as a Nurse in the NHS. We all respect and prize our nurses, they are hero's to us all. But for the reasons above in the UK I don't see any scope for any real uplift in wage to match other vocations. Unfair but we all make our choices vocation wise and I guess anyone going into nursing would have scoped the pay before going into that profession. Personally I think a lot of Nurses would prefer more effort to provide a better work/life balance and reduced workload over pay. Oh and maybe free parking for them at work wouldn't be too much to ask either. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Most workers are underpaid in the NHS compared to the private sector. The Doctors don't fair much better at band 6 starting at just above £26k.
But to encourage nursing they could restart the bursaries again.
"
Which is why there are more agency nurses rather than staff nurses on the wards |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
I have a lot of respect for nurses and they should be paid more.
I have also found that nurses are hornier in general than women from other occupations lol idk why but that's what I have noticed. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
The recruitment of nurses, be it school leavers or older students, has really taken a hit since the scrapping of bursaries in England. So reverse that.. the course is a 45 week per year one, with no "standard student" massive summers off. There isn't the opportunity to maintain part time work to fund the nursing degree!
NMC regulates that half the year should be spent on placement, where you follow the nursing shift pattern. So as a student you will do a 37.5 week consisting of nights, weekends and different shifts each week. On top of that you have the expected course work and exams.
On the wards, although technically supernumerary, students are used to fill the staffing gap. Instead of using placement as a learning opportunity, where you become safe practitioners, they are providing a service. When there was a bursary, it was almost like a payment for the extra work, but now with students taking out loans to to the course, they are actually paying to provide free labour to the government!! What is fair about that?!? And name me another profession where you pay to provide a service?!
Should nurses be paid more? Yes, of course. Why don't they? Traditionally nurses don't/won't strike. Our unions don't work for us (unlike the teachers!!) And nurses allow themselves to be treated like crap and paid like crap. Patients always come first and strike action would harm patients. So it doesn't happen.
I could go on for ages about the state of the NHS and problems, but I better leave it there!! |
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"Of course nurses should earn more .
But first we all need to realise that the nhs has only so much to give . If it isn’t there , they can’t pay it .
And when you see cases where the nhs is sued for malpractice to the tune of £10,000,000 for one case we will never have it will we ? And this is just one example of thousands that happen every year .
We have a free service where the nurses , doctors and surgeons do their very best and get sued left right and centre . Crazy .
Not only this , but there are adverts all the bloody time telling people to do just this . And this is the world we live in
"
Its not a free service , we all pay for it through our tax and national insurance. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I'm going to say a thought and it may come out a little jumbled but please bear with me.
I'm under the impression that people, particularly the youth, look down on the nursing profession. The job is predominantly a thankless one, with low salaries, not a lot of respect and even abuse from patients and their family members.
I was born in the UK and grew up here but lived out in the Philippines for some years and during that time I did my nursing degree.
I feel that the youth of the UK don't consider nursing as a viable profession to enter into because it is so poorly compensated and even if they do, a lot of British nurses leave for other countries like NZ/USA/OZ due to better salaries, work/life balance being much more - balanced and the impression of the nursing profession being more respected.
In the USA, according to the Bureau of Labor a registered nurse salary in California (higher than the national average) is $102,700 (2017) which is equivalent to £78,707.
In the UK, the average salary of a registered nurse in London is £25,000 (band 5) or at the higher end (band 6) £36,000.
Side note:
Income tax in the UK starts at 20%
Income tax in California is 12.3%
Basically what I'm trying to point out is that if the profession was more financially attractive, most of the downsides would pale in comparison and more Bitish trained nurses would not leave this country in droves in search of "greener pastures".
How do we fix this? How do we change the image of nursing?
It's something that deeply saddens me because no matter how much the government tries to make up for the numbers with EU and non-EU nurses the conditions and situation hasn't changed."
but that would mean top brass would have to take a pay cut just like the army your all saints but good knows why you do it I only work for money not for The love of it  |
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"Most workers are underpaid in the NHS compared to the private sector. The Doctors don't fair much better at band 6 starting at just above £26k.
But to encourage nursing they could restart the bursaries again.
Which is why there are more agency nurses rather than staff nurses on the wards "
And being paid £50 per hour/£600 per shift. So of course the way to solve the nursing crisis is to charge the students £9,250 per year to train (for working half of that on wards). Yeh that will solve the problem
Are they underpaid - generally for the job/responsibility yes they are. Is the NHS haemorraging money - god yes!! |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"I'm going to say a thought and it may come out a little jumbled but please bear with me.
I'm under the impression that people, particularly the youth, look down on the nursing profession. The job is predominantly a thankless one, with low salaries, not a lot of respect and even abuse from patients and their family members.
I was born in the UK and grew up here but lived out in the Philippines for some years and during that time I did my nursing degree.
I feel that the youth of the UK don't consider nursing as a viable profession to enter into because it is so poorly compensated and even if they do, a lot of British nurses leave for other countries like NZ/USA/OZ due to better salaries, work/life balance being much more - balanced and the impression of the nursing profession being more respected.
In the USA, according to the Bureau of Labor a registered nurse salary in California (higher than the national average) is $102,700 (2017) which is equivalent to £78,707.
In the UK, the average salary of a registered nurse in London is £25,000 (band 5) or at the higher end (band 6) £36,000.
Side note:
Income tax in the UK starts at 20%
Income tax in California is 12.3%
Basically what I'm trying to point out is that if the profession was more financially attractive, most of the downsides would pale in comparison and more Bitish trained nurses would not leave this country in droves in search of "greener pastures".
How do we fix this? How do we change the image of nursing?
It's something that deeply saddens me because no matter how much the government tries to make up for the numbers with EU and non-EU nurses the conditions and situation hasn't changed."
America is very differnt to the uk though and california very differnt to the other states
https://www.google.com/amp/s/khn.org/news/californias-rn-wages-now-highest-in-the-nation-federal-data-show/amp/
For some info behind the salaries and also your forgetting that while they pay less income tax they have to pay a lot of other taxes and private health care which averages around 500 a month for basic cover.
California os a very expensive state to livein .registered nurse in Texas for instance is on 50k$ |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
It's a job I couldn't do and I'm willing to do nearly anything, Nothing is believe me. I don't have whats needed, I failed at being a care assistant.
Nurses are amongst a small group of people I hold in the highest regard along with the Police, Fire Service, Armed Forces, NHS etc. a people who risk their own health and safety in order to save other people.
Words can't express how much I value people who do these jobs and if it were up to me, you'd all be amongst the richest people in the world.
Massive Respect. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
|
"Problem is the youth of today have no respect. Raised by hooligans. Discipline is required.
and illegal"
So the problem isnt the youth of today its your generation for being shit parents? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Problem is the youth of today have no respect. Raised by hooligans. Discipline is required.
and illegal
So the problem isnt the youth of today its your generation for being shit parents?"
As sweeping generalisations go it was way off the mark. |
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As a cancer patient, I cannot praise enough the NHS and their nursing staff, I found them highly competent and have the greatest respect for them and what they do!!
They should be more financially rewarded for what they do, £25000 pa is now a low salary and disrespectful to the profession, I do mean profession!!
These people are amazing and their care and knowledge need to be rewarded and respected.. |
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