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My Opinion: Nurses Need To Stop Complaining, Get Fitter and Demand More Support

This rant has been bottling up inside me for a while and the article recommending that student nurses give up smoking as part of their training has galvanised me into action. I realise that what I say below will probably infuriate and offend some of my fellow nurses but I still think it needs to be said. Even if only to put across another perspective on these debates.

We are so protective of ourselves as nurses that we often stonewall proposals without actually listening to them. One thing I ask is that you read to the end before making your judgements.

Nurses need to set a health example

Much is said about the current ‘nanny state’ yet heart disease, smoking and alcohol abuse continues to ravage the UK population. Even worse, the average person knows what they need to do to stay healthy: exercise; 5 portions of fruit and veg a day; alcohol in moderation; avoid smoking; safe sex; be safe in the sun .

None of this is difficult, however putting it all into a busy, modern life is. If you have started smoking then it is very difficult to give up.

Cigarette packs have graphic warnings on them but this is counteracted by the fact that you see smokers walking around looking happy and healthy. This reinforces the belief that ‘it won’t happen to me’. If a patient is treated by a nurse who smells of smoke then this link to fatal diseases seems even more remote. A nurse knows all the risks so they can’t be that bad can they?

You see a similar situation with obese patients who are treated by obese nurses. I overheard one nurse correctly advising a patient that they needed to lose weight, but ruining the advice by saying, ‘but who am I to give advice?’ as she was more obese than the patient. Will that patient take the advice seriously? Not a chance.

A nurse has rights just like anyone else

There is no doubt that nurses are a persecuted breed. We are expected to be vivacious sociable beasts who easily bond with a huge variety of people and to respect these peoples’ point of view or beliefs. Yet, we are not allowed to have fun in our free time and we have ridiculous ‘laws’ where nurses are advised not place photos of themselves with a drink in their hand on Facebook.

There have also been occasions where nurses have been reprimanded for criticising management online and this is why I have written this anonymously and why my membership on ProNurse is anonymous.

So doesn’t this contradict what I’ve said above? A nurse is entitled to do what the rest of the population does: go to parties; fall in love with the wrong person; yes, even smoke if they really want to. But when they are on duty they should be fit, healthy and certainly not hungover.

In an ideal world they wouldn’t smoke or could at least go through a shift without smoking (or becoming grouchy due to cravings).

Scrubs camp?

The Armed Forces have ‘Boot Camp’ where new recruits are trained to be fit and healthy including proper hygiene practices, to bond with their peers and work as a team, to follow orders and to develop self-confidence.

They need this as they may depend on their fitness and health in difficult conditions for their survival. They need to work as a team, to step up to the plate when required and to instantly follow an order as it may save their life or the lives of others.

Would you like to work on a ward where you could depend on all their peers for support and feel confident in their role. Scrubs camp and a required basic fitness level for all nurses (with the correct allowances for the capability of disabled nurses) would increase the health of the nursing workforce and reduce stress levels.

I’ve heard nurses, especially nursing students, saying that they need to smoke to cope with the pressure of the job. That’s rubbish! Smoking is an addiction and the craving for the ‘stress release’ of a cigarette adds to stress when you can’t smoke at will.

Nurses can’t do it alone

Nurses have a potentially more stressful job than the average person so they need to have above average fitness, but they also need more support.

It is NOT acceptable that nurses have to go without breaks. To make another comparison with the Armed Forces, a soldier may be placed in stressful situations where normal periods of relaxation are not possible. However, they do receive (slightly) more pay for the duration of their tour and they have a defined length of time in these conditions. To expect nurses to work shifts without breaks is unrealistic and takes advantage of the fact that a good nurse will not let their patient down. The response to the article 10 Ways for nurses to stay healthy on the job on the ProNurse Fan Page on Facebook was revealing.

While I agree that suggestions to do exercises on the ward in between tasks is patronising, the general consensus of the response was that it was not feasible to follow the basic advice to stay healthy at work.

If the NHS wants to improve the morale of nurses and reduce burn out and turnover of staff they need to invest in the health of nurses.

We need breaks, we need to be properly de-brief with someone after a particularly difficult shift and we need concessions to help us fit exercise and healthy living into our hectic lifestyles.

We need respect.

However, to earn that respect we need to do some of the hard work ourselves by practising what we preach and taking steps to improve our health so we can be role models for our patients.

A role model nurse doesn’t need to have the figure of a Hollywood actor or actress, we come in all shapes and sizes. We just need to be fitter than the general public.

Thanks to Pelagia for being our guinea pig for this series of articles. Please do add comments below and while Pelagia is expecting criticism and debate please make it constructive rather than insulting!

If you would like to write an article about something you feel strongly about please contact Russ via his ProNurse profile. ProNurse will edit the article and insert relevant links for you and get your final approval before publication.

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