October 2006

BLOGWAR DEBRIEF

For those of you who have been in a nuclear bunker for the last few days (smart move by the way), there has been a bit of a blogwar going on over at Nurse Ratchet’s site. If you’ve got a very strong constitution go and have a look. Take a few strong drinks and a picnic as the comment total has rampaged through the 200 barrier. In a nutshell a RGN, new to blogging and a little indignant about the tone of some medical sites, had a pop at the medical profession. Unfortunately, she used an ill advised anecdote and was critical of a GP who summoned an ambulance by 999. However, it quickly transpired that the GP was correct as there was a very slight chance that the patient had a life threatening condition. Within two hours she had been shot down in flames. The medics though couldn’t resist the temptation to put the boot in. Turns out they are angry as they feel nurse practitioners are taking over their diagnostic responsibilities. Doctors became abusive, nurses became defensive and it all went downhill from there. Lots of points could be picked up but I’d like to focus on two:

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Oldschoolbaby has drawn our attention to an interesting debate here. It demonstrates the unconditional love that nurses and doctors have for each other…….actually its really shocking……(but more shocking is that Oldschoolbaby steps in and quells the riot……I never thought I’d live to see the day!)

EDIT: Sunday 22nd October Oldschool informs me that he had no intention of being an mediator, and has returned to his rightful status in further and more characteristic contibutions to this interesting and rational discussion on Nurse Ratchett’s blog.

My mother was a pharmacist. She surrendered her career to bring me into the world. I sat Chemistry O Level twice and distinguished myself with an unclassified grade twice. I just don’t get it. If my mother perceives me as a major disappointment she never says so, bless her.
Now I’ve always been a huge fan of the Bill Bryson travel books. I was surprised when he published a science based book called “A Short History of Nearly Everything” but I had no hesitation in buying it. What a revelation, a journalist from the American Mid West did something that my formally qualified Chemistry teacher couldn’t. He taught me something…

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Tony Kinson emailed me to plug his website about Bexley Hospital. Cheeky Bugger, I thought….but the website, which he has put up with a friend is so good, I think it deserves a great deal of plugging.

Here’s my soundbite review that should be put on the back of the book when it’s published (should be IMO):

“Kinson and Howe have put together a fascinating archive, creating a history of an asylum that breathes from the (web) pages”

And more importantly, here’s what they say:

We hope you enjoy looking around at the many pictures, documents and memories within this website. We hope that the website grows over time, and we would love to hear your comments, but we would especially love to hear from people who want to share their memories of the hospital, and welcome contact from former staff and patients, and anyone connected with the hospital.

We are always keen to receive new photographs of the hospital, or copies of documents from the hospital. We are especially keen to hear from anyone who has details (or a copy of) the television drama that was filmed at Bexley Hospital in the early 1980’s. We also would love to hear from anyone who has any pictures of the school of nursing, or any hospital signage (ie ward signs, inside and outside the hospital).

Have a look.

This one is purely cathartic.

Mental has written about his experience of the death of a patient (I usually say service user – but need the distance for a minute), I want to get mine off my chest too, so this is the first of two posts on the subject.

Today is Sunday, at least, I’m writing this on a Sunday. It was on a Sunday not so very long ago when my mobile went off (it doesn’t just ring), after a very lovely roast dinner which I was about to finish off with some Sara Lee™ Apple Strudel and proper custard. All was good with my world.

The phone call was from the on-call manager who was sorry to disturb my weekend but she had some bad news for me. This was said in a voice that sounded neither sorry nor about to break bad news. The upshot was that Sue (name changed to protect my career) had been found dead this morning. Read the rest of this entry »

I make no apologies for using this quote again, it is well worthy of repetition. “Policy and procedure are the last refuge for people who don’t know how to do their job properly”. (My apologies Mr. Gervais if I have breached your copyright). There are files and files of the stuff in our ward office. Maybe they are a statutory requirement, I don’t know, but I make every effort to ignore it all. What I do know is that I work with a lot of very competent people who are very capable of dealing with problems. What I suspect is that constant referral to policy erodes self confidence and blunts ingenuity. Micro – management does not create the right environment for natural leadership to flourish.

Anyway, the other day I found a policy which had been left out on a desk which gave a rather interesting insight into the mentality of the people who draw up these things.

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The real Mental Nurse (not us inferior imposter types) has emerged from his exciting life and asked that I post this email he received. I know there’s a lot of people out there who can help out….so do something useful!

Hi Mental Nurse and friends,

I really enjoy the blog and never find it less than thought provoking.

I work for Social Spider, a not for profit design, communication and social action agency based in Islington, London.

Drawing on my experiences of exclusion and my ongoing experiences as a mental health service user, my company and I are currently developing a magazine project, provisionally called ‘One In Four’, which will be an aspirational lifestyle magazine written by people with mental health difficulties, for people with mental health difficulties. We envisage that this magazine will be distributed by organisations and groups that work with people with mental health difficulties.

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At the recent Labour Party Conference the Labour Party spin machine went into overdrive to smear the journalist who had the temerity to report that she overheard Cherie Blair commenting negatively on the Chancellor’s speech. Was she really a lying fantasist or was she simply a young journalist who had a good story fall into her lap.

What’s this got to do with nursing? Well, I’m starting to think that elements within public sector management are taking their lead from the political spin machines. Far too many of them reside on Planet Jim Bowen, where everything is “super, smashing, great”. Conversely, any suggestion that things are not as they should be is met with a quite furious response. You’re quickly labelled as “unprofessional”, “negative”, “burnt out”, “stressed” or “in need of supervision”. I’m sure you could add to the list.

Nurses are leaving the profession in record numbers. Why? How many nurses do you know who talk with great enthusiasm about emigrating? I’ve noticed myself that a lot of quality nurses are gravitating towards night duty simply to avoid management. There is even anecdotal evidence that qualified nurses are working as N.A.’s as this is their only option if they wish to provide the type of care that they anticipated they would be providing when they joined the profession. If your voice is dismissed, you vote with your feet.

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