A New Year, A New NHS?

It's a new year! And what better way to welcome in 2008 than with - you've guessed it - another shuffle in the NHS!

While we're all still in the throws of recovering from the last major shuffle (Agenda for Change), Gordon Brown has seemingly decided that he would like a turn. Cue the NHS Constitution - an outline of the rights and responsibilites to be expected in healthcare. Not a bad idea, but when Gordon Brown warns of "a major shake-up", it just doesn't appear quite so simple...

Months of debates and reviews are set to ensue before the shake-up becomes a reality, but as Dr Michael Dixon (chairman of the NHS Alliance) stated, "To the average member of the public and patients and, frankly, doctor or nurse it doesn't mean much. It's just another big idea from on high."

Happy New Year!

Critically Funny

Understanding CPR is a crucial part of the nurse's knowledge. But have you ever attempted resuscitation and found it to be side-splittingly funny?

So far, the highlight of this semester has been the practice of caring for the critically ill patient. But we were not let loose in ITU, HDU or indeed theatres to hone our skills. In fact, we were not required to go anywhere near a real person. The genius of modern technology has meant we can practice critical nursing care from the comfort of the classroom.

Enter "Danny"; an advanced piece of technological equipment designed to increase one's confidence and management ability of the critically ill patient. Gone are the days of standing over a limbless plastic dummy. Danny not only has all four limbs but also presents with radial/carotid pulses, his chest moves as he breathes, and - best of all - he speaks, therefore causing a group of third year nursing students to get the giggles. It certainly didn't help when Danny explained, "I don't feel very well. I think I've got a rash" in a Yorkshire accent!

Who knew CPR could be so entertaining?!

Semester 5 Placements

Following an interesting lecture on Perioperative Care, many of us rushed home today to see if the postman had delivered the details of our next placements. There, in my mailbox, was the brown A5 envelope from the University, the contained information mapping out the next six months of my nursing life. As I ripped open the envelope, I thought of all the places I might end up; the Burns Unit, Oncology, Theatres...

But no.

I get sent to Eye Casualty and Trauma & Orthopaedics. Six months of conjunctivitis and hip replacements.

Ok, so I'm being somewhat cynical. I would be fibbing if I said I wasn't disappointed with my placements, but I'm sure these will both be enjoyable. I don't have a great deal of interest in ophthalmology, emergency or otherwise, although as I learn more about it I'm sure I'll begin to enjoy it. T&O is one of those departments where a lot happens - RTA patients and the likes - and there are a wide range of departments I can attend for Insight Visits, but I've worked in this area before. However, I'm going to look on the bright side and not be too envious of whoever landed the Burns Unit for their placement.

So, be mindful that from January to April 2008, I shall be discussing muppets who have managed to poke themselves in the eye, and grown men falling out of trees...

Eating my Words...

Ok, so I may have recently suggested that the NHS may not be ready for the obesity crisis threatening to hit the UK over the next 25 years. Maybe I spoke a tad too soon...

East Midlands Ambulance staff are doing us proud, thanks to some jolly expensive equipment. All hail the "bariatric ambulance"; a larger version of our well-known vehicles but fitted with greater capacity, suspension and hydraulics. Costing a whopping £100,000 each, they are equipped to carry patients weighing up to 55 stone (349kg). Four are currently in service around the East Midlands; Nottingham, Derby, Lincoln and Leicester.

While these are clearly very helpful pieces of equipment, let's hope the underlying issue of obesity continues to be fiercely tackled, rather than the effects of it being worked around.

On a completely different note, a Year 11 pupil at a school in Nottingham received an interesting birthday surprise from him parents this week. They ordered a singing telegram, but instead a stripogram dressed as a police woman turned up and performed in front of the entire class! Ooops.

I ♥ NHS

Calling all those who love the NHS! We've got a fight on our hands...

Today, the "I Love the NHS" march took place in London. Around 7000 doctors, nurses and members of the public marched their socks off to campaign against the privatisation of the service, and hats off to them. A huge chunk of the NHS has already been privatised under the Conservative and Labour governments - hospital services such as catering, laundry and maintenance are often carried out by private companies. As well as this, some of the big management positions have been filled over the years by people who have nothing to do with the NHS - the government have invited tops dogs in 'Tarmac' and 'Sainsbury's' to name a few, to manage a considerable portion of the NHS, with a considerable salary. Now the Conservatives are saying there should be more competition in health care.

Why do we need competitiveness in health care? Surely, if you're ill, you're ill. Choosing heath care is not like choosing between Sony and Panasonic, is it?! Sometimes I do wonder whether our politician's cerebral hemispheres have been misplaced...

It clearly looks like the NHS is in for a bumpy ride over the next few years, with administrators thinking they know best, private companies getting excited about how many pounds sterling they can milk out of the service, and the government thinking this is all beneficial to the UK population. Time to roll up our sleeves and get the rolling pins out!

Help! I'm a Patient, Get me Out of Here!

Imagine you're told you'll have to stay in hospital during the Christmas period.

Rather than sitting around with distant relatives you hardly know, drinking goodness knows what and eating enough in one meal to feed the village, you're stuck in hospital with nothing but Patientline to bring an element of Christmas cheer to your bedside. Problem is, one day's worth of TV costs a small fortune and programming is going downhill these days anyway. What's on? 'The Great Escape' again, along with as many Disney films and sitcom repeats as can be squeezed into the schedule. Perhaps Christmas in hospital won't be so bad after all. Think again...

One NHS Trust in Hampshire have decided to ditch the tinsel and various other bits of shiny clutter "to tackle infections" such as MRSA and Clostridium Difficile. But before you loose heart and feel that the NHS have cancelled Christmas this year, fear not! Management at the Trust have explained that the lack of decorations will be replaced by lots of "treats" for the patients. And their idea of "treats"?

"We've already had offers of handmade chocolates and luxurious Christmas cakes from top hotels and we're inviting the local panto dame and cast to come in too as well as choristers and carol singers."

The chocolate and cake is no doubt a nice touch, but if patients are too unwell to go home for Christmas, will they be well enough to gobble up posh nosh? What about the patients who are nil by mouth? And as for the panto dame and cast...

... would you want this lot turning up by your bed when you're in pain, feel queasy and are in a new pair of horrendous Christmas pyjamas bought for you by your great aunt? Me neither.

I bet that tinsel sounds appealing now, doesn't it?!

Hurrah for Public Services

Yesterday I was very impressed with our local coppers who visited my appartment, laden with Smart Water and bags full of stickers, personal alarms and leaflets. Why?

Last month a delightful human being decided to break into my car. Nothing was stolen (clearly, the naughty vandal didn't have need for a notepad, Nissan cover-up paint or a can of 'Magicool'). The front door had been damaged, so the Police Forensics team came out and dusted for finger prints. They didn't find any, but made a right mess of my car in the process! I then received a courtesy phone call a few weeks later from the police and thought that would be the end of it. But yesterday two Community Officers came over just to check I was ok. How nice is that?

It was somewhat embarrassing that when they arrived, I was in my pyjamas on the sofa feeling sorry for myself watching nonsense on TV. I did find it rather amusing that when the police man took his hat off, it was obviously too tight as there was a red mark across his forehead!

Our public services don't receive enough recognition - the news only ever report from a negative perspective. So a big thank you to all those lovely coppers out there.

Even Nurses Get Ill

I feel like I should write this post phonetically so that you can appreciate the horrendous cold I'm currently suffering from. But, rather than throw myself a pity party and spend the day on my sofa with a DVD and hot lemon drink, I trecked into University for the beginning of Year 3. And what a good day it was. It was great to catch up with old friends, not have to wear our uniforms, and play "spot the first year" (all first years spend around the first month wearing their ID badges before they realise there's not much point, and so don't bother).

One of the first things we were told in our introductory lecture was "you can't mess around in the third year like you could in years one and two". Mess around?! Since when was that an option?! I've clearly been working hard to no avail!

However, we did have a great lecture on oncology. My teacher's-pet-pre-reading payed off as our lecturer didn't actually explain the biology of cancer. Good job I have a basic understanding of all those damaged oncogenes throwing a wobbly. The only problem now is that my brain is overly focused on critical care and I keep wondering if this cold of mine is something slightly more dramatic. What if I start presenting with haemoptysis? Could this pounding headache behind my eyes be something more sinister? Am I beginning to sound like a really annoying hypercondriach?! Fortunately, tomorrow is a day of "Independent Learning" and while I don't wish to remain in bed for the entire day, at least I can have a lie-in.

I really fancy a cup of tea, but as there's no one here to pander to my every need, I shall have to slump to the kitchen and make it myself. Who takes care of the nurse when she/he is poorly?!

The Beginning of the End

I'm now on a home-run - tomorrow my third and final year begins. Finally, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!

This semester is focused on Trauma, Critical Care and Oncology. The timetable looks fantastic and I can't wait to get into it. Fingers crossed that my placement in January will be on the Burns Unit...

Rather than lots of unnecessary and irrelevant assignments, our learning this semester will be tested courtesy of two exams; a written one and an OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination). The OSCE will probably be the worst bit due to the sheer embarrassment of having to kneel over a plastic dummy shouting "can you hear me? Are you ok?" and then calling out "I need some help over here!". Talk about feeling daft!

That aside, it's exciting to think that this time next year I shall be a qualified RN. Christine Beasley's job is just getting closer and closer to within my reach... ;)

So, I'm now going to be a right swat and do a bit of reading before having a reasonably early night. Here's hoping for a great third year.

Mad Hatter's Tea Party

It seems that not a day goes by without some kind of directive or commission being set up within the NHS with the promise that this one really could work. Yet again today, the NHS resembles something of Alice in Wonderland's Mad Hatter's tea party, as we "all change" and welcome in the Quality Care Commission. Their mission - should they choose to accept it - is to tackle hospital super-bugs (queue the A-Team theme music). So how will they achieve this?

My guess is that a barrage of suited-and-booted administrators with clip boards and free pens from Medical Reps will descend upon our hospitals (and other areas of health care) and tick/cross lots of boxes. And if there are too many crosses? They have the power to:

• close wards/units/areas


• hand out fines


• issue warnings

Hygiene has become a big issue in the cleanliness of hospitals, mainly due to recent outbreaks of Clostridium Difficile and MRSA. But are doctors and nurses to blame, as one government bloke told the ITV news earlier today?

Tell him to come here and say that!

While I'm sure many doctors and nurses could be better at handwashing, the government seem to forget all these visitors and managers trapsing their germs in and out. If you ask them to "please move for a moment" because vomit needs mopping up from the floor, they look at you as if you've just kicked a puppy and often flatly refuse. Do we really need the "He-man's" and "She-ra's" of the administrative world to swoop in handing out detentions or whatever? Can't we just get on with the job we're training to do?

Without wishing to sound like a political activist, I can't help thinking that had the NHS been managed properly since it's creation without continuous change, we might not be in this pickle...