Quote:
Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington
Yes, Jaysay.......I was sister on the ward when some of these degree students were allocated to us for their educational needs, they did not want to be involved with basic care tasks.
They wanted to do ECGs, they wanted to do other technical stuff, but they didn't want to do pre-op shaves, toileting of patients, helping with hygiene needs, feeding patients, wiping bottoms.
They really didn't want to be nurses, they wanted to be technicians....to flit in and do a task they considered to be commensurate with their level of education and then go on to the next technical task.
What is more, some of them felt that the auxiliaries, care assistants,HCAs were beneath them.....but believe me these care assistants, auxiliaries, HCAs had the very best bit of the job......actually nursing patients....making a difference to their day, making them feel comfortable.......and of course helping them to return to full health.
these degree students gave the impression that the auxiliaries were educationally inferior to them.......the experience that they had gained by looking after countless patients was not considered to be 'education'.
I have had the pleasure of working with some very capable, kind, caring auxiliary nurses.
I learned a lot from them....because they had good common sense and a caring attitude....and I know who I would like to be looked after by if ever I were ill....and it wouldn't necessarily be a degree educated Nurse.
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Can't agree more Margaret about auxiliaries(Oggies) I have come across some crackers over the years, most of whom have now retired, mores the pity, they were worth their weight in gold on a busy ward, especially at night if there was a run on. In fact I was actually talking to an lass who was an Oggy on E3, during my latest stay in the Royal, I've seen her quite a few times recently, she decided to pack in the nursing side and trained to be phlebotomist (think that's the official title, better known as the Dracula squad) but we still remembered the old days on E3