Now ye're talking - to a Nurse

Boards.ie: Mark

Our next guest is a nurse who would like to answer your questions and challenge common misconceptions about the nurse's strike and why it is happening.

She works as a children's nurse and has previously worked in the emergency department of a general hospital.

ectoraige

First, thanks for the work that you do, I understand how demoralising it is to be understaffed and still be expected to provide the best care for your patients.

Is there any support for the idea of living-rate allowances so that nurses working in higher-cost places such as Dublin can be paid more than their country counterparts?

Has anybody complained to you about being called "Pet"?

Dakotabigone

What is your opinion on Simon Harris?

vandriver

What's your basic pay,allowances and overtime.

jay0109

Are restrictive working practices and Union 'rules' in our hospitals stopping any real reform of the health sector?

Bummer1234

Have you ever worked abroad or ever been tempted on going abroad?

jay0109

What are the main roster arrangements that you see amongst your colleagues and what are the %'s on each of them i.e. how many are on a 3 day week on long shifts

jay0109

Do you know of any nurses who work full time for the HSE and also supplement that with agency nursing? How widespread is it?

seannash

I gather that the salary for Nurses is well documented and laid out for all to see.
So seeing as you had prior knowledge of the earnings potential was that a factor in your decision to become a nurse or did you not consider it.
My mother was a nurse and I know how difficult of a job it is and I agree that they are underpaid.

seannash

Also to add my personal belief is that nurses who move abroad were always going to move abroad. They move for the experience of living abroad or make a lot more money and I don't think a raise would change this. What would be your opinion on that subject.

jay0109

Do you acknowledge that Irish nurses are amongst the most highly paid in the world? And that is even before allowing for the pension benefits.

seannash

jay0109 wrote: »

Do you acknowledge that Irish nurses are amongst the most highly paid in the world? And that is even before allowing for the pension benefits.

I think you'd have to include that Ireland is one of the most expensive places to live in the world (Think we are 15th most expensive) along with that statement

jimgoose

Nurses in Ireland enjoy a starting salary considerably greater than the average graduate salary. Salaries also increase relatively quickly, broadly in-line with other public sector roles to and well beyond the average industrial wage. It is true that salaries are much higher in Australia, but everything is much higher in Australia because of the huge boom there at the moment, largely because of the eye-watering amount of money the Chinese are printing.

Bottom line: I put it to you that wage increases are the Wrong Thing(TM) and won't solve the actual problems of overwork and short-staffing.

jay0109

seannash wrote: »

I think you'd have to include that Ireland is one of the most expensive places to live in the world (Think we are 15th most expensive) along with that statement

Dublin is expensive, Sligo and Castlebar a lot less so.

Sydney, Melbourne and London are right up there with Dublin but a lot of nurses heading that direction still.

Boards.ie: Mark

Mod Note: Just going to jump in to say that this thread should be used to pose questions to our guest. The thread in After Hours would be better suited for general discussion: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057944444

jimgoose

Boards.ie: Mark wrote: »

Mod Note: Just going to jump in to say that this thread should be used to pose questions to our guest. The thread in After Hours would be better suited for general discussion: https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057944444

I have a general question for our guest, viz. "Do you think that wage increases are the Wrong Thing(TM) and won't solve the actual problems of overwork and short-staffing?"

theteal

Bummer1234 wrote: »

Have you ever worked abroad or ever been tempted on going abroad?

Just to add, if so, how did the role compare to the job in Ireland? Conditions? Levels of responsibility?

ednwireland

jimgoose wrote: »

I have a general question for our guest, viz. "Do you think that wage increases are the Wrong Thing(TM) and won't solve the actual problems of overwork and short-staffing?"

i would like to see how a nurse thinks wage increases will fix anything as well

chicorytip

Hello. Do you think school leavers today regard Nursing as an attractive profession to enter and does it still have the same kind of status as a job that it had twenty or thirty years ago particularly among those from rural Ireland?
Also, would you say that there are a sufficient number of nurses graduating each year to fill the available number of positions in the public health service?
Finally, sorry for being so long winded, approximately how many of your colleagues are a) male and b) non - Irish?
Thank you.

Tell me how

Do you think it was a good idea to do an AMA at this time when considerations of nurses are heavily influenced by the ongoing strike?

Was that a motivation in doing the AMA?

ELM327

Why do you think striking for more pay will solve understaffing issues, where in fact it does the opposite, it increases the opex on existing salaries reducing the number of further staff that can be hired.

easygoing1982

Is it true most nurses are really living in poverty. I follow a nurse on instagram and she's constantly posting with her colleagues pics of nights out/holidays etc.

How can nurses expect restoration of pay without everyone else in the public sector getting theirs aswell. Do nurses really think the country can afford it.

Gloomtastic!

Why do you believe you deserve more money now when your Union signed up to the current wage agreement?

If the government give you more money, you'll have all the other Unions crying me too! So why do you believe you deserve more money than all your public service colleagues? Why not look for increased staffing levels which will lighten your load?

Duffryman

Assuming that there's only so much money to go round, and that we can't magic up some more of it to give nurses a pay rise, has the INMO or anybody else ever done a detailed proposal as to where money could be found to fund a pay raise?

If so, what exact cuts or budget freezes would it entail in the other areas that would be affected?

beertons

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

AMKC

Hello. Do you think the HSE is inefficient?

What do you think can be done to help keep nurses trained here from going abroad?

Do you think the location of the new children's hospital is a good place for it or do you think a greenfield site might have been better?

Mantis Toboggan

How awful is the HSE and should it be done away with?

Calhoun

Do you think that the money issue has consumed the current action going on? What the nurses want is much more important than just a wage but that is being lost by the demand for a salary increase .

Would it be best if we introduce a mandatory term of service for those going into nursing which can be bought out at any time? That way we could address the amount of nurses goong abroad and servicing other countries off the back of our tax payer.

John Hutton

Do you think the questions here are rabidly right wing and anti worker in comparison to your experiences on the picket line and dealing with the public in general?

Good luck with the strike

realdanbreen

You certainly can't be accused of being a chatterbox anyway nurse!

J Mysterio

Do you like Coppers? Can I find a nurse there?

thegetawaycar

Do you think if the Government brought in a policy making nurses complete 3 years post college in Irish hospitals or fees would be recouped would help the staffing situation and make hospitals safer for patients?

amcalester

Is the response time here typical of the HSE?

ELM327

amcalester wrote: »

Is the response time here typical of the HSE?

This thread is also covered by the remit of the strike unfortunately

Yer Da sells Avon

With regard to the strike, have you had any negative reaction from people 'in real life' - particularly patients and their families (who actually witness the work you do, day in, day out), or is that sort of unpleasantness confined to a minority of malcontents on the internet, none of whom have ever expressed a nice opinion in their lives?

I'm a Nurse - AMA

Hi Everyone.

I am sorry for the delay in answering any questions but I will get on in a couple of hours once I get home from work. Thanks for all the questions so far and I'll be back on very soon

Afollower

Are the INMO and PNA Nurses getting paid while on strike? I've heard rumours that they are and, if so, it is very peculiar. I have never before heard of Union members on an official strike getting paid by their employer.

So, a straight answer would be welcome please - are the Nurses who are striking getting paid?

freshpopcorn

Do you believe all nurses are caring/kind?
We often hear in the media about the nurses being lovely and kind/etc and most of them are. Do you ever encounter nurses who aren't?
I know a good few nurses my age late twenties.
Some just wanted to go to UCC(sort of keeping up with the Joneses) and it was sort of a job for life in a way and they'd threat people quite badly in reality.
I'd also note most of the nurses I've encountered are lovely and kind.
Do you think some people shouldn't have become nurses? Yes/No and Why?

I'm a Nurse - AMA

Hi Everyone,

Again I am sorry for the delay but I was in work today

Thank you to Niamh and Mark for sorting out this thread also.

Before I get to some answers I just wanted to introduce myself a little.

I have been a nurse for 10 years, in my 30s. In those 10 years I have worked as a general nurse in a specialist medical ward, an out patients clinic for a little while as they were short staffed at the time, a bank nurse (hours as required wherever you are needed) and an Emergency Department. I then made a move to children's nursing (best decision I've ever made) and I now work in a surgical ward that also deals with medical patients.

I have spent 7 years in University, 4 for my degree and 3 further years completing 4 different courses to further my knowledge and my professional development.

All of this is important for me to let you all know as it may show that I do have a broad experience of acute hospitals.

I know this thread will be dominated by all that is currently in the news with the strike and everything else and I am happy to answer what I can but please remember I, like everyone else, have my own opinions. I would love however if people would aslo ask whatever other questions they may have to better understand what a nurse does.

Speaking of the strike, I am a member of a union and I have been picketing and although I will speak about it again I just want to say a huge thank you to every person who has shown support over the past number of months

Here we go.... :cool:

KevRossi

We often hear about the over staffing in middle management in the HSE. Can you give some specific examples and how this affects you and your colleagues?

FWIW I had a lot of experiences dealing with a sick parent a few years ago. He was often in hospital. I thought ye were almost all excellent, but overworked, and excessive administration that could be made more efficient.

But I'd like to hear more about the issues that concern overstaffing in management.

Thanks

I'm a Nurse - AMA

ectoraige wrote: »

First, thanks for the work that you do, I understand how demoralising it is to be understaffed and still be expected to provide the best care for your patients.

Is there any support for the idea of living-rate allowances so that nurses working in higher-cost places such as Dublin can be paid more than their country counterparts?

Has anybody complained to you about being called "Pet"?

Hi Ectoraige,

First of all thank you for acknowledging how demoralising it is as you are completely correct. The burn out associated with not being able to provide best care to patient's causes massive strain on nurses, particularly when it is due to under-staffing.

When I first went into nursing I remember being told that you got paid more for working in Dublin.... that was untrue! It works in London so I do think it is something that should be looked into and has been discussed throughout the years, however, Where do you draw the line considering the cost of living has increased everywhere over the past number of years. I have actually moved out of Dublin as I could not afford to rent there any longer. Despite commuting costs it still works out cheaper to rent in a commuter town that it would to rent a 1 bed in Dublin.

I personally have never ever received a complaint for calling somebody pet or other pet names, however, I did work with a nurse who a formal complaint was made about because she used a pet name for a patient. Although I would have rarely used a pet name whilst looking after adults I find it difficult to not use pet names when caring for children I absolutely 100% agree that patient names should be used, never ever ever called by their bed/room number or other terms.

Dakotabigone wrote: »

What is your opinion on Simon Harris?

I personally feel he is out of his depth. He is actually a nice man to be honest which makes me sad as I felt he was making a difference compared to previous ministers.

vandriver wrote: »

What's your basic pay,allowances and overtime.

My basic pay, which is available online, works out at roughly 2,400 net/month. I do not work any overtime but it is the same hourly rate as usual when you do. We get paid unsociable hours between 1800-2000 and double pay for a Sunday. I do not receive any allowances at present. I did receive allowances previous jobs due to specialist areas.

jay0109 wrote: »

Are restrictive working practices and Union 'rules' in our hospitals stopping any real reform of the health sector?

I am sorry but just to clarify, do you mean at present due to strike action?

I'm a Nurse - AMA

Bummer1234 wrote: »

Have you ever worked abroad or ever been tempted on going abroad?

I have not worked abroad, I stayed in Ireland. However, I have considered it many times. I have been offered a job in both London and Dubai previously. I did not accept the job in London after qualification as I was offered a specialist ward in Ireland that I felt would be very beneficial to gain experience in.

The Dubai job came about at the same time I received an offer to complete a course so I decided to stay and complete that instead.

I am considering going though in the next year or 2 as at present myself and my partner are broke and cannot afford to save for a mortgage so I am considering leaving for financial reasons

tretorn

Are you being paid while you are on strike.

I

Agent Smith

Do you have a bedside locker? Whats in your bedside locker?

How much is membership of your union a year?

I'm a Nurse - AMA

jay0109 wrote: »

What are the main roster arrangements that you see amongst your colleagues and what are the %'s on each of them i.e. how many are on a 3 day week on long shifts

The main roster arrangements I see are either 3 or 4 day weeks (I wonder how many people know we work an extra day every 4-6 weeks for free:mad:) and night duty which is either a week with mixed nights and days or 7 nights on either in a row or split with 7 nights off in the middle. Nursing managers and specialists mainly work Monday to Friday however, many managers also do weekends. More senior managers also do nights. If you work a 3 or 4 day week, it is generally a 13 hour shift. Nights are 12 hours.

jay0109 wrote: »

Do you know of any nurses who work full time for the HSE and also supplement that with agency nursing? How widespread is it?

I personally don't know anyone who is employed by the HSE and an agency. I do however know many nurses who will do extra bank nurse shifts either in their own hospital or in a private hospital. I know one couple who did 4 bank shifts each a month. It worked out at approx 200 extra a month.... no chance i'd offer to do 4 extra shifts a month for 200.... but that is just me!!

Edward M

I'm a Nurse - AMA wrote: »

I have not worked abroad, I stayed in Ireland. However, I have considered it many times. I have been offered a job in both London and Dubai previously. I did not accept the job in London after qualification as I was offered a specialist ward in Ireland that I felt would be very beneficial to gain experience in.

The Dubai job came about at the same time I received an offer to complete a course so I decided to stay and complete that instead.

I am considering going though in the next year or 2 as at present myself and my partner are broke and cannot afford to save for a mortgage so I am considering leaving for financial reasons

Fair enough, I have a two nieces who are nurses, one is heading to dubai in April for the same reason you state.
Do you think the percentage wage increase being sought would be enough to overcome that issue though, be enough to make a difference as to getting a mortgage for a house?

I'm a Nurse - AMA

seannash wrote: »

I gather that the salary for Nurses is well documented and laid out for all to see.
So seeing as you had prior knowledge of the earnings potential was that a factor in your decision to become a nurse or did you not consider it.
My mother was a nurse and I know how difficult of a job it is and I agree that they are underpaid.

I absolutely agree that it is very easy to see what a nurses salary is, however, at 18 when filling out my choices it is not something I ever would have considered looking into! I also qualified after cuts were made so even if I had of expected one wage I would have received less by the time I qualified. It is not something I can imagine many people looking into.... however, many students have asked me over the years and been shocked when I told them how much I got an hour leading me to believe that they assumed it would be more!
Also thank you

seannash wrote: »

Also to add my personal belief is that nurses who move abroad were always going to move abroad. They move for the experience of living abroad or make a lot more money and I don't think a raise would change this. What would be your opinion on that subject.

I do absolutely agree with you that many people have it in them that they want to travel, however, I think many nurses get to enjoy the amount of money/potential of climbing the ladder quicker abroad and then they don't come home. I personally know at least 15-20 people who have left for the middle east in the past 6 years who were only going for a year but still have not come home :eek:

I personally am currently looking into moving abroad to get some money to buy a house at some stage so I do also think the money aspect to moving abroad is bigger than people know!

marthabarry

How can you walk outside on strike when people with cancer and others with serious life threatening illness are forced to wait and have very serious operations and appointments being cancelled due to this strike? Don't you feel embarrassed by this ? or ashamed?


Will you admit that if other staff - not nurses- did blood pressure rounds, etc. that many nurses would be freed up and there wouldn't be a shortage??? There are many roles that don't necessarily need a fully trained nurse?

VeryTerry

Do you find it galling that after so long in college that the likes of the lads that spent the same amount of time in the Smurfit Business School think you should be happy working for a fraction of what they hope to make?

Just to add, up the nurses!

Plumbthedepths

marthabarry wrote:

Will you admit that if other staff - not nurses- did blood pressure rounds, etc. that many nurses would be freed up and there wouldn't be a shortage??? There are many roles that don't necessarily need a fully trained nurse?

You should take your insightful knowledge and suggestions to the Labour court. The first part of your comment sounds strangely like emotional blackmail, your anger is directed at the wrong quarter tbh.

I'm a Nurse - AMA

jay0109 wrote: »

Do you acknowledge that Irish nurses are amongst the most highly paid in the world? And that is even before allowing for the pension benefits.

I acknowledge how it looks on paper but in reality with friends nursing across the world, who have also worked here, I don't feel that this is how it is in real life. I can move abroad tomorrow and have housing paid for, gym memberships, food allowances etc. The cost of living in Ireland is much higher than many places where nurses are paid less also. Cost of living in the UK is said to be 14% less than Ireland. Nurses in London, where the cost of living is higher receive more money for working/living there.

Nurses in Ireland are also doing jobs that are done by extra health professionals in many countries. Nurses in Ireland carry out many tasks that are only done by doctors/allied health professionals in many other countries such as the UK, America and Australia.

seannash wrote: »

I think you'd have to include that Ireland is one of the most expensive places to live in the world (Think we are 15th most expensive) along with that statement