[lettie]

Originally Posted by Neil

I don't agree with that.

Everyone can make a difference by doing their job to the best of their ability.

Of course everyone can make a difference to direct patient care. I was referring to the more cultural aspect of general hospital work. As a junior nurse I was totally fed up with being brow beaten by senior staff who wouldn't change practices because.....'This is the way we've always done it etc.' even though evidence showed that it would be better done another way. That is just one kind of example and very difficult to change things for the better as a junior unless, you have a supportive senior colleague to back you up.

When I was newly qualified I found supportive senior colleagues to be in short supply to be perfectly honest, especially when it came to changing practices. Now, as a senior, I try to encourage junior staff with their ideas and encourage them to come up with the evidence that backs up their ideas. Getting a degree gave me new confidence and motivation and I have no qualms about challenging bad practice wether it be from nursing colleagues, consultants or managers and that's the kind of difference I was referring to