RCN reveals incredible pressure on nursing staff

The Royal College of Nursing has released the results of a member survey, revealing the huge passion but incredible pressure nursing staff have been feeling throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Completed by almost 42,000 members, the survey explored the impact of working on the frontline and how the crisis has changed the professional lives of nursing staff. It found that 88 per cent of respondents remain passionate about the nursing profession.

However, the survey reveals how hard members have been working and in what circumstances. For example, 38 per cent of respondents said staffing levels got worse during the pandemic, with 62 per cent saying that the needs of people they care for have became more complex.

Additionally, 76 per cent reported an increase in their own stress levels, 33 per cent said they worked longer hours, but only 40 per cent of those reported getting paid for them. Meanwhile, 34 per cent said they worked at a higher level of responsibility, with 90 per cent of those saying they received no extra pay.

On staff well-being, the RCN found that 58 per cent of nurses are concerned about their own physical health, 52 per cent worried about their mental health and 91 per cent concerned about the well-being of those in the nursing profession generally.

The survey asked staff what they would like to see done to make them feel more valued. More than seven in ten said improved pay would make them feel more valued, while half said better staffing levels would make them feel more valued.

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN chief executive, said: “The pandemic has shown nursing in a light never seen before. Whether in hospitals, care homes or in the community, the entire health and care workforce has stepped up to care for patients and support their colleagues.

“The public clapping on their doorsteps must reverberate all the way to the heart of government. We now need to see action. That is why we continue to call for a significant and early pay rise. The pandemic is not over, but unless there is improved pay and working conditions, we risk many of our members leaving the profession at a time when the nation needs them more than ever.”