We love our job: challenges and all

Lamp, The, April, 2008

Rachael Allen and Tamara MacDonald are two young nurses who responded to the NSWNA online survey--and the lucky winners of the NSWNA survey competition. Along with all members who filled in the survey, Tamara and Rachel went into the survey competition draw and won two fabulous iPods for their efforts.

Rachael is a 4th year RN working at Prince of Wales ED. She loves her job but points out that 'nursing is difficult in today's world'. 'There's increasing demand from patients and families, and higher patient acuity. I'd say it's more challenging than in past,' she said.

'There's also more responsibility. You feel like you're carrying decision making because there's no one around to check things with. That's pretty scary.'

Rachael said there are not enough senior nurses. 'The CNE is not available after hours and we need more senior nurses on the wards.

'I think it's OK [the pay] but it's not really much when you consider what we do,' she said.

Tamara, a 2nd year RN at Royal Hospital for Women, also loves her job. 'I like helping and caring for people so it's perfect for me.'

However, she finds shiftwork a difficult aspect of the job. 'It affects your relationships with family and friends. It's hard to have a social life,' said Tamara.

NURSES AT WORK

In December 2007 NSWNA conducted an online survey to better understand current workplace practices and issues for younger nurses. Half the respondents were under 25 and nearly all were under 30. The results paint a picture of inexperienced nurses struggling with heavy workloads and responsibility, without adequate support and guidance.

Here's a snapshot of the survey results:

* 88% worked on a rotating roster;

* 95% started work on a new graduate transition program;

* Of the respondents who had done an 'in charge' shift, 31% had received no guidance prior to doing it;

* Only 4% said they felt very equipped to be in charge, 31% reasonably equipped, and 10% not equipped;

* 67% said they often or sometimes worked through meal breaks or past rostered finishing time;

* 6% always worked through meal breaks;

* 25% said they hated night shift and can't see themselves doing it much longer;

* 34% had experienced aggression from family members of patients;

* 28% had experienced violence from patients;

* 75% had accessed support from a preceptor/mentor;

* 63% rated access to CNE as 'very useful', 23% 'useful', and 9.3% 'somewhat useful', 4.3% 'not at all useful';

* The most important aspects of working conditions were: workload (15%), team you work with (14%), pay (14%), and support and mentoring (13%);

* 52% occasionally thought about leaving the profession. Only 11% loved their job and did not think about leaving;

* What improvements would make the profession more attractive and keep younger nurses in the profession? Reducing workloads, better pay and conditions, better staffing practices, better recruitment strategies, better support from management and more recognition of the role nurses play.