A Podcast For Nurses: Cup Of Care, Episode 10

In the final episode of the podcast, Janet and Nikki quiz each other on working nights, the possibility of paid breaks, and the future of staffing, drawing on each other’s nursing experiences.

Reflecting On The Podcast

It is incredibly valuable at this point, for us all in this profession, to be seen and heard and valued… It is a very difficult time out there.

Should Nurses Be Able To Sleep During Night Shifts?

There have been pilot tests where nurses have been given even just a short space of time to nap… and the studies show that that can be very beneficial… It can improve people’s memory, the quality of their work, and it can prevent silly mistakes.

What If Nurses Got Paid Breaks?

Nurses have a certain level of responsibility, with a lot going on all the time… you just need to take a step back just for half an hour… to come back refreshed and ready. Across the board, employers that actually put the health and wellbeing of nurses ahead of everything else, are the ones that will we win… and when recruitment is so difficult… it’s all these little things that will make the difference.

What If Big Business Sponsored The NHS?

Channelling that money into the equipment that they need, into the staff that they need… to support patients and staff… the Trusts would be benefiting. These big businesses could also be getting behind community events that are supporting Trust goals… and we could be achieving our holistic goals.

How Could That Become A Reality?

The first thing that would need to happen would be a relationship with a company, not even just money, but also raising awareness of current issues and going from there… it would start small, but it would have to be on the understanding that it’s not a quick fix or a publicity stunt. It’s developing that relationship of public responsibility.

Is There A Solution To The Future Of Staffing?

There are foundations and charitable groups that as a student you can access… but usually it’s such a hard thing to actually succeed at. They tend to be quite small pots of money for very particular circumstances… but they could be available on a much wider scale.

Nursing Careers In Current Times

We’re seeing that the undergraduate recruitment figures for nursing are down, we’re seeing massive shortages in the social care sector, people are making the decision not to do it. The only way we can change that is the very painful process that we are now going through… The NHS is a brilliant institution… but we have to keep moving and reinventing. The minute we stand still… we start moving backwards.