A student nurse says her ward is constantly understaffed,putting additional strain on nurses and healthcare assistants as they try to deal with difficult and distressed patients My week begins with a 12-hour shift. I arrive and the nurses’ station is worryingly empty. Not once have we been fully staffed in the past few weeks and the pressure of an impending inspection by the Care Quality Commission, the healthcare regulator, or is growing. I start by helping patients with their breakfast,as the night staff did not have time. The food – porridge and bread – looks disgusting. No wonder they prefer to eat the chocolates and sweets their families bring. I am relied upon greatly to aid with personal care needs, despite being a supernumerary. My frantic mentor is doing three nurses’ jobs while hoping to avoid a drug error. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com