RCN: ''New nurses lack basic care skills''

22 September 2011

New nurses lack the skills required to provide the standard of care that patients expect, the chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has said.

Although the RCN was instrumental in all nurses requiring degrees, Peter Carter said that the problem was nurses now spent too long studying theory and not enough time getting their hands dirty on hospital wards.

At the same time, hospitals were using unregistered and unqualified care assistants to carry out work that nurses should be doing – including taking blood, turning patients in their beds, and various "complex interventions".

"What we have on hospital wards, and particularly in domiciliary care, is an unregulated, untrained workforce who are picking up so much of this on the job as they go along," Carter told the Times, adding: "Frankly, it's nothing short of a disgrace."

He went on: "Gas fitters have to be registered. But somehow when it comes to patient care we've got this unregulated, untrained workforce and then people wonder from time to time why there are problems. You don't need registered nurses to do every task but things like wound care, nutrition, hygiene, moving people in bed, these are techniques that need to be properly taught."

The Department of Health said: "The government's view is that national statutory regulation must be proportionate and targeted and we do not believe that this is the case for healthcare assistants."

COMMENTS

As a retired SRN,SCM of over 30yrs experience. I am appalled by the lack of proper nurse training/practise in both nursing & midwifery. I have talked to patients, collected articles, written to the PM & Deputy & to Dept. of Health. Now the Head of the RCN says the same. It's time to do something. I don't want to die in hospital of abuse & neglect - do you?
MRS N M LEWIS - MIDDLEHAM, UK

As an SRN, SCM of 30yrs experience & having studied the present appalling standards in patient care, I heartily agree with Dr Peret Carter. Solution:- bring back the Enrolled Nurse or similar training & qualification. Let these Degree people (don't call them nurses) swan around in a suit with clip-board wasting NHS money.
MRS N M LEWIS - middleham, UK

With all due respect Mrs Lewis, nursing has moved on massively - even in the past ten years. Patients have never been safer, or as well cared for in a high technology environment. Nurses today have so much more say in the way services are developed and maintained. Nursing today is very much about reducing harm and actually improving patient outcomes. The very same group of patients that you cared for would probably have not survived as the technology was available..You make generalised statements about nurses who advance the profession with higher education qualifications. I have met some outstanding degree nurses - equally I have met some dreadful SRN's. Having the ability and commitment to study at degree level doesn't suddnely make them care any more or less than an outmoded SRN? I would suggest you put down the Daily Mail and visit a hospital to see the fantastic outcome of most patients stay!!!!
Scott - UK

I am sick of being on the recieving end of care assistants treating me like a pin cushion as they are trained in about 6 weeks, shouldnt be allowed.
lucy - newcastle

As a retired SRN I agree with the comment made by Dr Carter re Nurses spending too much time on theory,Nursing should not be an acedmic course and the sooner we go back to the excellent ward trainig the better.I would like to remind critics who talk about all the advanced technoledgy of today that we had no intensive care wards in our day but with excellent care our patients survived major surgery.The sooner we get back to the old system the sooner nurses will learn how to care for there patients.
Mrs Nora Hunt - Kendal Uk Retired Sister

How dare you insult me and my new nursing friends Mrs Lewis. I am a newly qualified nurse and I was a mature student, after raising my four children I went into nursing and worked my butt off to get where I am now and I am very proud of achieving my Degree. I will tell you now I care for my patients from the time I step on the ward until the time I leave and that is never on time, because we all know nursing is not a clock on and off job. Your insult is disgraceful and I dont care how long you were a nurse for and how much experience you have had, at the end of the day, it's in the care you provided during your working days. My patients and their families have always commented on my nursing and were happy to see me take care of their loved ones. Sott I agree with you entirely.
A Worth - Wales