assignment2

Meeting patient expectations is 'biggest

problem' facing nursing

By Steve Ford, Nursing Times 16 February, 2012

More than half of nurses say patient and carers’ expectation of services that cannot be met

with existing resources is the “biggest problem” currently facing nursing.

According to a survey of nurse opinion, 55% of respondents highlighted this issue as their

biggest concern.

Meanwhile 52% said cuts to the nursing workforce, both registered and non-registered, was the

main concern facing the profession. A further 42% highlighted cuts to the registered nurse

workforce and 41% inadequate care of older patients, such as issues of dignity and nutrition, in

the NHS.

Lack of support for staff who raise concerns about the quality of care was cited by 35% of

respondents and 27% thought the biggest problem was either lack of compassion in some nursing

staff; inadequate care of older patients in the care sector; and pressure and lack of support for

ward and community managers.

Nursing Times also asked nurses which issues facing the profession they found most concerning

on a personal level.

The majority, 70%, highlighted staffing cuts that in their view endangered patient safety and

59% identified staffing cuts that significantly increased their workload.

Meanwhile, 56% said the inability to provide adequate care to their patients or government

proposals to change NHS pension scheme and retirement age.

A further 43% highlighted concerns about changes to the NHS caused by the government’s

health bill being passed, and 38% cited attempts by trusts to reband nursing staff to a lower pay

level.

One respondent said: “Nursing and quality care cannot be achieved in the same breath as cuts to

staffing levels, downgrading of nurses, frozen posts etc. Why are nurses always the easy target

for budget cuts when the NHS is a flood with managers many who will never encounter a patient

throughout their career.”

Another said: “Nursing has become a thankless task. Patients’ expectations are high and cannot

be met with the level of work required on the wards. Managers are implementing new ways of

working with no training or support taking up time that could be spent delivering patient care. I

worry for the future of nursing.”

A number of high profile reports and cases involving poor nursing care have been given

widespread media coverage recently.

Examples, include critical reports from the Care Quality Commission and the Patients

Association focusing on dignity and nutrition standards for older patients, as well as more

extreme cases such as the claims of patient abuse at Winterbourne View and police

investigations into patient deaths at Stepping Hill.

Asked whether they thought the media’s portrayal of nursing had changed over the past 12

months, 71% of respondents said it had got worse. Meanwhile 26% said it had remained the

same and just 3% that it had got better.

One respondent said: “Nurses need to feel supported. Media attention mostly highlights bad

practice. Nurses were once respected – what happened? Is the government partly to blame by

continually freezing pay thereby suggesting nurses are not worthy of a pay rise?”

Another said: “Public and media perception of nurses is having a huge impact on nursing moral.

As is staffing cuts and increased workloads. I don’t think it is seen as much of a profession to

enter into anymore which will impact greatly on nursing in the future.”

A further respondent added: “I hate constantly reading in the media about bad nursing, I am

constantly defending myself and colleagues. After all there are more good nurses out there than

bad or indifferent ones, more nurses not less are needed.”

The poll findings released today are the fourth and last instalment of results to come from an

online survey of around 400 nurses carried out by Nursing Times over the past week.

The poll has asked nurses about the “big issues” currently facing the profession. It has looked at

other key areas including workforce, the health bill and the current review of the Nursing and

Midwifery Council

Retrieved on July 26, 2016

See: http://www.nursingtimes.net/roles/nurse-managers/meeting-patient-expectations-is-biggest-

problem-facing-nursing/5041565.fullarticle