Demoralised, powerless, overworked, scared and ignored....... Five words one should never need to hear from nurses.

In the UK the role of the nurse is being stretched to such an alarming length that many feel something soon will snap and none of them want it to be on their shift! Valuable, experienced and amazingly talented nursesare leaving the profession because they feel they are treading avery fine line between life and death.

This isn't an over dramatisation of facts this is how the system is currently..... and yes we mean currently in 2010 not 1810!!

Nurses expected to care for more patients than is recommended, Nurses working past their salaried shifts, patients left unchecked because there simply isn't anyone to check them, basic human needs such as refreshment and comfort breaks are being scrapped because quite simply.... if the nurse leaves to have her break there would be no one to care for the patients.

“If it is a system failure then if anything goes wrong the Nurse will be covered”

Not according to The Nursing and Midwifery Council [NMC] code which says: As a professional, you are personally accountable for actions and omissions in your practice and must always be able to justify your decisions.

Anyone that has tried to blame the system will know... it isn't easy.

“So tell someone up top!”

Indeed... it also states in the NMC: You must inform someone in authority if you experience problems that prevent you working within this code or other nationally agreed standards. You must report your concerns in writing if problems in the environment of care are putting people at risk.

 This has been done by countless nurses and it is apparent that no action is being taken to improve things.

“Why don't they go on strike?”

Well that would be a start, that would be one way of bringing the public awareness to a slippery slope situation. But here's the spanner in that work.... Nurses are not permitted to strike or rather they are but arebound by their duty of care codes.. see NMC code reference above!

“OK so how can we help?”

Sign this petition to show that you would like to see a major overhaul of
the Nursing Care System especially the working conditions, patient
safety and rights of the Nurse.