where is everyone?

[nursesue]

hi - it all seems very quiet here lately. Guess it must be the holiday season. Hope you all had a great time. Not much happening up here in Scotland. We've started the HPV vaccine and await the flu season and the giving of those wonderful flu jabs!!!
One piece of news I passed my COPD diploma - finally recived the results after a 3 month wait. Its not only the NHS that moves slowly......
sue :-*

[wilfb]

Hi Sue,

Many congratulations Sue. That must be a relief.

I think that everything is a bit quiet netwise right now. For me - just back after 5.000 mile car ride to the UK and back from Crete. I must admit that it was difficult to keep contact when visiting places like Lucerne and Venice. But before anyone thinks I had my feet up - I was the driver!!  And got the opportunity only after gaining the full 40 years pension in the NHS....

I also did more collecting of nursing history in various guises, badges books et al... I intend to add the books to the bibliography page on the main site; start a book review section in the hope of encouraging others to take an interest in this aspect; and also moved things on regarding our own member photo gallery - the root of which is already on site - http://www.schoolsofnursing.co.uk/Gallery2/EWilkinsonDT2/EWIBadges1/page_01.htm. It all seems to take such a long time....

I was also hoping to meet up with Peter (backman) en route to the Harwich ferry - he owes sandwiches, but I lost all contact after telling him they were on him! So I would love to know where he at least is!! (Peter - it is safe to return, I am abroad again!!).

Maybe things will improve again with our next site news - we are working hard on the individual nurse histories.

W.

[nursesue]

having done that drive from Pireaus to Fife I can undertand how you feel. I got to drive the Italian leg of the journey - cos apparantly I drive like a mad thing and it suited the way they drive!! Hubby navigated and missed the turn for Milan( mutterings about how his credit card couldn't stand the bashing it would get in the designer shops!!!)

Look forward to next items on this site and yes relief at passing exams ( no more!!!!!!!)

Have you seen the great photos of Cardiff Royal on the derelict buildings website?? Yet another great piece of architecture going to waste..... >:(
sue

[eric]

Wilf states his ability to travel around Europe came after 40 years in NHS. This reminded me that I started nursing this day (10th) 35 years ago, so have 5 more years to go, then perhaps I too can getting time to travel around place.
Congratulations Sue on exams, next is MSc, then PhD, when do you start?
What you you think of NMC who announced this week that nursing to become an all graduate profession? and that all 4 branches of nursing to remain?
Ah well only 5 years or 60 months or 260 weeks to go.

[nursesue]

thanks Eric- and no more studying !!! I found the essay the most difficult all that referencing. The world of academia is not for me. Had to wait 3 months for results.
I am still undecided about an all graduate profession - where does that leave us old time SRNs without a degree to our name??
Do was need to be so highly trained to give good basic nursing care - how educated to you have to be to feed a patient, prevent pressure sores and give a bed bath?? I can understand it for Nurse Practioners or specialist nurses who run their own clinics . Are we fast losing site of why we became nurses? We do all this extra diplomas, degrees and nurse prescribing and we do not recieve an adequate pay reward. Is it crumbs from the Drs tables- they don't want to do things or ( and quite rightly) have had their hours reduced and work is decanted to nurses. I remember when we couldn't do IV cannulation, venepuncture or prescribe even a simple paracetamol.
The jury is still out on my descision as to whether this is a good or a bad thing and will it lead to a 2 tier system - a system stopped with the cessation of the SENs???
sue  ???

[backman]

Belated congratulations Sue,if I haven't already given them.

Winter draws on! Time to batten down the hatches ,add those thermal layers amd lag those pipes before the Seasonal affective disorder kicks in.Might also be an opportunity to delve in those drawers and find any embarrassing group photos from your PTS or list any of the characters such as eccentric tutors,sisters or colleagues who made your nurse traimimg what it was.You could also tell us what you know about the history of your own badge,every little helps!

I have been fairly quiet of late due to the outside world intervening in my own little world here,having to do a bit of selling and buying to support my collecting habit.Was somewhat dissappointed not to win the St Thomas's SEN Badge which went for over £400 on ebay,however there is still surprisingly a little voice of reason which tells me this price is insane and that that money could buy 24 goats for an African village
see; https://www.greatgifts.org/ 
Am unsure if I will attend the RCN History conference in November but may try and it would be good to meet any members there.Very sorry to have missed Will on his recent trip ( but felt guilty at only being able to offer bread and dripping) but there is always next year.
I will attempt to add more postcard pictures over the months to Squirl and add details of my badges where known but do encourage all of you to join in and support these SON Pages as much as you can.
Peter/Backman

[whittington85]

Hello All,

I suppose a pharmacist could argue 'how educated do you have to be to unscrew a bottle and give out a pill?'
I am suprised the benefits of an education are still being debated, surely one can practically intervene and understand the principles behind that intervention. I have always believed knowledge is power, why should medics have the monopoly?
It's actually not that difficult to obtain an undergraduate degree, but like anything that's worthwhile, it requires a bit of effort. Give it a go, you might learn something.

Kind Regards,

Whittington 85, RGN,RMN,BN,MN(APN).

[nursesue]

whittington85 - i am not saying that education is a  bad thing but nursing has  done away with a 2 tier system and i think its slowly being reintroduced by turning us into an all graduate profession. I have just completed a COPD diploma so I am still studying. Knowledge is power but if i wanted a medical degree when i started out in 1978 then i would have gone to med school. I have learnt many things over the years with post  grad studies some good some bad - so should i be penalised for not having a degree?? does haveing one improve my nursing skills, do i really need one to continue my career???
I'm happy with being an SRN with multiple relevant post grad certificates
sue :-*

[whittington85]

Sue,
Would having a degree improve your nursing skills? Probably.
Should you be penalised for not having one? Possibly.
Should I be rewarded for having one? Definately!!!
Joking aside, I think the benefits, to the individual and the profession, far outweigh any doubts.
I may be wrong, but I don't think this site is just about collecting shiney baubles, but about celebrating our nursing heritage.
Surely this has always been about the acquision of nursing, not medical, knowledge. Hence a nursing, not medical, degree.
Kind Regards,
Whittington85

[nursesue]

then we'll have to agree to disagree. I've managed all this time without a degree, have kept updated, changed when needed. We have done away with a 2tier nursing system SEN/SRN and its slowly coming back with degree/no degree. Do i really need a degree to comfort a patient or to care for them or to hold their hand. My knowlegde is updated and have done multiple diplomas to ensure that i am compatent with safety and up to date knowledge
If old timers like me are forced out of the profession because we don't have BSc or equivilent after our name then it wil be a sorry day for an already beleagured profession. I have worked with newly qualified nurse who are wizz kids on the computer but can't do mouth care....
:'(

[wilfb]

Hi,

Ouch!! Sock it to em' Sue! But whatever you do, don't feel pushed out.  There are many first rate nurses like yourself - irreplaceable gold - and maybe all who stay get there in the end, degrees or no... Maybe..

A few years ago I was a surgical in-patient at the Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham. In spite of being 'super qualified' I think that I shared the same anxieties as most others in my position - a bit scared and worried about my family...  At least 32 letters after my name (more than in it) to say nothing of a few degrees and more than 30 years service at the time. My prize for real nursing went to a West Indian SEN on night duty. Made me feel secure and cared for - and she was competant!  Caring competance! If I ever have to return I just hope that she is still there. Not a degree in sight...

But when it comes to finding for our professional rights it seems that no one really gives credance unless you are faced with equal qualifications - which usually means a degree. Or run a trade Union!

It's the original argument - Florence Vs Bedford-Fenwick. Still alive, well and kicking. Personally I don't think we can ever get away from the opposite pole - the attraction is irresistable.  But maybe the current trend to bring them together is wrong.  Give me that SEN any day. Give me a competant practical nurse - Prince Charles can have my degrees...

W.

[backman]

 Working with both Health Care Assistants and a range of "Trained "staff, I would agree that it really is down to the individual as to the quality of the care you might receive.A healthybalance between the underpinning knowledge, the practical skills  and the supportive infrastructure(Resources,Staffing,Time,etc,)to put this into practice,as well as actually Caring ,influence the type of nurses we produce.
I am looking forward to the RCN's History of Nursing Seminar on Friday which will examine some of the issues around Nurse training over recent years.I hope to give some feedback here later.

[nursesue]

oops sorry everybody  :-[ I did get alittle angry. OK a lot angry but i didn't swear - was gonna put a few choice Greek words on my reply and then suddenly realised that there are members who probably speak wonderful Greek from living there!!!
I have lots of lovely letters after my name and can hold my own with anyone - degree or not.
I could do a degree if i wanted but am happy with my lot and still being to hold a hand & make a cup of tea and give pure basic nursing care. I love a good debate and all said and done we don't have to agree with each other all the time
so humble apologies
sue x

[backman]

 Calm down,calm down! No,the fact that we can still get emotional about Nursing after many years speaks  volumes about our commitment( committed,yes I should be!).I think perhaps we may have all come across the nurse with qualifications galore who couldn't deliver high quality care,whilst equally there are those who do use their qualifications to the best benefit of their patients and colleagues.Academic qualifications alone do not neccessarily make for the best nurses but for those nurses who strive to be effective,educational achievement can be a great tool.

[eric]

I agree with balanced view of Peter (backman) that it really depends on the individual. While I'm into my 36th year of nursing and involved in the education of nurses today, I see the value of education (Whittingham85) and the experience that Nursesue talks about. They go together, not necessarily separate or opposite ends of pole. Experience WITH willingness to learn, adapt and develop ones skills and knowledge IS an education, sometimes more so than what a book can tell us. I agree with Whittingham85 that knowledge informs the practice and should enable us to provide better understanding of whole care process. Education should also equip us for the constantly changing health service and constant reorganisations that take place in the name of efficiency and effectiveness. Experience and willingness to develop skills also puts us in strong position to deal with these changes. Indeed both knowledge and experience should allow us to know how best to provide 'care' within this changing environment. Education and/or experience are both a means to an end, enable us to "provide best care" we can. Once degree obtained up to individual gain 'skills'. Like Wilf, I have few degrees, which you can have. They only enabled me to obtain positions where I feel I can provide or offer care to others. The rest was up to me.

I also agree with Whittingham85 that we celebrate more than "shiny baubles" but the whole areana of nursing in all its wonderful facits. There is world of heritage to enjoy. Wilf and Peter have fantastic web sites that allow each of us to share our insights, stories, memorablia, and indeed history of this heritage. It is up to us to record this data for future generations. Nursing carried out today becomes history tomorrow, so regardless of how long you are in nursing, be it 40 years or 4 years, we each come into our profession from unique perspective. So lets share this information and record it on either (or both) of these 2 great websites.
Wilf has provided folders for memorablia, uniforms etc; in addition to monthly newsletter. Nursesue has shared insight into symbols of badges and meaning of these. Interesting how more modern badges are more PC than past. Keep up the good work and continue to upload photos, stories, histories etc.

Finally, anyone else beside Peter going to RCN history conference on friday next? I had hoped to go but with staff off sick I'm now working and unable to go. I wonder if Peter (and others going) might take memory stick / pen and ask afterwards for any presentations given to save on their memory pen and with permission 'share' anything with us on either or both websites. I'd be extremely interested in hearing and learning about all events planned on day.
I look forward to hearing how day went.