Latest news with #nurses
Irish Times
18 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Nurses risked everything for us during the pandemic. Now many are abandoned to its awful legacy
It's not a question of if, but when. Scientists are warning that a new pandemic is lurking over the horizon poised to pounce on us. 'It's an epidemiological certainty,' says WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. 'Are we ready for the next one?' asks everyone from Boston College and Johns Hopkins University to the Economist and the United Nations. 'No,' is the straight answer for this country. READ MORE Ireland's grubby treatment of its Covid-19 heroes will cause some frontline workers to think twice the next time before they risk their lives for the greater good. Specifically, the nurses – those people who did not have the luxury of working from home, who imperilled themselves by caring for the infected, who self-isolated while off duty and eschewed public transport to avoid transmitting the virus, who hesitated to touch their own children but held the hands of the dying when their families could not be with them in the final days of their lives and who then zipped them inside body bags and phoned their kin to inform them the one they loved had gone. They did it in terrifying circumstances under the claustrophobic weight of protective gowns, hairnets, shoe covers, gloves, face shields and masks. In the early days, the masks were the standard surgical type and sorely inadequate. There were no vaccines for the first 10 months. Nurses and other hospital workers saw colleagues fall ill and be taken away to ICU to be put on ventilators. More than 20 healthcare workers died from Covid. What thanks have they got for all that? A €1,000 crisis bonus that their union representatives had to beg for before it was eventually paid. [ My battle with long Covid: I was in disbelief. Was I making it up? How could I not stand up while the kettle boiled? Opens in new window ] To this day, there is a cohort of forgotten heroes whose abandonment brings shame on us all. They are the ones who went out and defended the barriers for the rest of us and now they are living with that awful legacy called long Covid. While normal life of honking traffic, construction sites, children in school uniforms, packed restaurants and pubs and big weddings has resumed outside their front door, they remain trapped in a post-pandemic freeze frame. Extreme fatigue, brain fog, weakened immunity, headaches, muscular pain, palpitations and shortness of breath have left them unable to go back to work. Some days, they cannot even get out of bed. One young nurse who was assigned to a Covid ward in a big Dublin hospital told me she has cardiac complications and has been on antibiotics four times in the past seven months. Another said she contracted Covid in January 2021, that zero hour following the Government's 'meaningful Christmas'. Four and a half years later, she is attending a long Covid clinic and is being treated by an infectious diseases consultant, a cardiac consultant, a GP and an occupational therapist. She is on daily medication for tachycardia (fast heart rate) as well as low-dose naltrexone (LDN), aspirin for micro-clots, painkillers and numerous supplements. [ The healthcare workers with long Covid: 'I'm living with the consequences of a 'meaningful Christmas'' Opens in new window ] She is one of 20 nurses with long Covid who are suing the HSE, the Department of Health and their employer hospitals for compensation. They issued the High Court proceedings two years ago. The State is fighting them. Simultaneously, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) was in the Labour Court last week seeking to extend a long Covid special payment scheme for public health workers who are still suffering the consequences. The scheme, which has been extended three times already following public controversy, is scheduled to expire on June 30th. Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill has told the Dáil it will definitely be terminated this time. The departments of Social Protection and Public Expenditure maintain it is not possible to definitively identify the source of infection for each of the 120 nurses affected. The last time the State was so ruthlessly parsimonious was when Charlie Haughey precipitated the 1989 general election rather than sanction £400,000 compensation for 106 individuals who had been infected with the Aids virus by State-supplied blood. It's an attitude that brings to mind Oscar Wilde's definition of a fool as one who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. An asinine State is one willing to pay €335,000 for a politicians' bike shelter but repays its true champions with the threat of impoverishment. Ireland and Greece are the only EU countries that do not recognise Covid and long Covid as an occupational illness for patient-facing workers If the special long Covid payment scheme ends in two weeks, its current recipients will be switched to the normal public service sick leave scheme. It means that for the first three months they will receive their basic wage – with no allowance made for the night-duty premiums and overtime many nurses rely on. They will get half their wage for the subsequent three months. With rents or mortgages to pay, their worry amid a national homelessness crisis raises the stress levels long Covid thrives on. During the pandemic, our cocooned communities gathered outside our homes in the grim lockdown evenings to applaud the country's frontline workers for caring for us. Even TDs stood in the Dáil chamber to clap. How would we have reacted had we known then that this would be the thanks they would get? 'It's gone from a round of applause to a middle finger from the Government,' said a nurse identified as Siobhán on RTÉ radio last year. Ireland and Greece are the only EU countries that do not recognise Covid and, ergo, long Covid as an occupational illness for patient-facing workers. That anomaly means nurses, doctors, porters, caterers, paramedics, fire fighters, gardaí and everyone else who contracted long Covid while protecting the rest of us are ineligible for occupational injury benefit payments. A Department of Social Protection report in November 2023 suggested that uncertainty about the condition's longevity in individual cases was a prohibitive factor. What a callous calculation that must be to ponder if you cannot get out of bed and don't know when you ever will. Our culture takes nurses for granted. We'll pat them on the head and call them our angels of mercy, because tokenism works when you are dealing with people motivated by a vocational duty to the greater good. They deserve better.
The Sun
a day ago
- General
- The Sun
Nurses and paramedics in top 3 most respected jobs in the UK, say Brits
THE most highly regarded professions in the UK have been revealed - and nurses and paramedics have made the top three. A survey of 2,000 adults found the healthcare jobs were the most respected jobs in the country - thanks to the positive impact they have on society. 1 Firefighters, teachers and foster carers are also recognised as doing some of the most meaningful work anyone can do. They were closely followed by mental health therapists, physicians, and police officers – all praised for their contribution to the public good. Nearly a quarter (23 per cent) said they feel inspired when speaking to someone whose job they believe truly makes a difference. With respondents identifying the qualities needed to create that kind of impact – including empathy (52 per cent), compassion (52 per cent), problem-solving (45 per cent), and integrity (45 per cent). However, 16 per cent said their own job currently feels unfulfilling – with 39 per cent citing a lack of societal impact. The research was commissioned by National Fostering Group, which has also developed a quiz (see below) to help people explore whether they have the skills suited to fostering. Tim Barclay, CEO of the organisation, said: 'It's clear the roles we most admire – from first responders to teachers and foster carers – all have one thing in common, they change lives. 'Whether it's protecting the public, educating young people or offering a safe and loving home, these roles are driven by purpose and empathy – values that really resonate with people today. 'In a fast-paced world, it's easy to feel disconnected from the impact of your day-to-day job, especially when roles are increasingly driven by targets and tech rather than human connection. 'But careers which offer purpose, people-focus, and a clear social good are clearly striking a chord. 'Fostering offers more than just a job - it's one of the most important ways to make that kind of meaningful difference, changing a child's life for the better, every single day.' The study also found 27 per cent of adults would like to switch to a more worthwhile career, while 19 per cent are actively looking for roles that allow them to give back. Among those seeking more meaning in their work, 59 per cent feel their current skills aren't being put to good use. More than half (54 per cent) believe they have strong problem-solving skills, 52 per cent consider themselves compassionate, and 51 per cent said they approach their work with empathy. TV presenter, author and inspirational speaker Ashley John-Baptiste, who was fostered and is supporting National Fostering Group's campaign, said: "Growing up in care, I saw just how life-changing a foster carer can be.' 'I remember one family, in particular, who gave me safety, belief, and the confidence to build a future. "They weren't superheroes – they just had compassion, patience, and the will to show up. If you've got those qualities, you could be the difference in a child's life.' When exploring more meaningful career paths where these skills could make a real impact, 20 per cent have considered becoming a teacher, and 17 per cent have looked into what a counselling role might involve. Others have investigated roles such as social worker (13 per cent), nurse (12 per cent), and foster carer (12 per cent), accroding to the survey conducted via OnePoll. Travis Walker, 45 from Warrington, had a career in telecoms before becoming a foster carer, and added: 'I spent over 10 hours a day behind a desk and started to wonder if I used that same time doing something that truly mattered, how much better would life be? 'I had done well in the corporate world, but ticking boxes and chasing KPIs wasn't enough anymore. I wanted to do something real, something that actually helped people. 'Ten years on, fostering has given me more purpose than any job I've ever had – it can be challenging work but every day you know you're doing something that counts.' Tim Barclay from National Fostering Group concluded : 'It's encouraging how many people already have the core skills that make a great foster carer. 'It's often not about retraining, but recognising the strengths you already bring. 'Fostering is a natural next step for those who want their work to have real, lasting impact - get in touch with us to find out more.'
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Repeated failings by the nursing regulator demand a new approach
Yet another official review has confirmed what The Independent has reported: that the body in charge of making sure that nurses are qualified to work safely in the NHS and the private sector has been guilty of serious failings. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has allowed 350 underqualified or fraudulently qualified nurses to work in the UK, a damning new report from the Professional Standards Authority has found. The NMC is also failing to spot workers who could pose a risk to patient safety and to prioritise investigating them, as we report today. These are only the latest of a series of damning findings by inquiries that might not have taken place if it were not for journalists acting on the concerns of whistleblowers to investigate problems. Rebecca Thomas, The Independent 's award-winning health correspondent, has been tenacious in reporting the problems of poor NHS services that are so often compounded by cultures of covering up, usually backed by bullying or threats. This latest inquiry was prompted by her reporting, based on the testimony of whistleblowers. What is most discouraging is that The Independent and other media organisations have been reporting on failures of the NMC for at least 17 years. We reported two years ago that Sir Ben Bradshaw, who was a health minister in the last Labour government, said that he was 'extremely concerned' to see many of the same issues that led him to commission an inquiry in 2008 'are still being raised today'. In a health service beset by problems, a regulator that is fundamentally unable to root out problems is instead going to make them worse. The Independent has led the way in reporting the systemic problems in maternity care and mental health care – and in both cases, the failure of the regulator to ensure nursing standards makes matters worse. After the Lucy Letby case, we ought to be more aware of the need to pick up concerns about nurses at an early stage. This is a job that the NMC has simply failed to do in far too many cases. Since The Independent 's reporting, the NMC's chief executive and chair have stood down, and Paul Rees, the interim chief executive of the NMC, said the report reflected a 'dark period' in the NMC's history. But it is a dark period that has lasted for far too long. We hope that Mr Rees is capable of the 'radical change' that he has promised. Bringing about a change in the culture of organisations is a huge challenge, and one that seems to plague the health service and many of the regulatory bodies linked to it. This requires leadership from the top. The running of a regulator such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council may not be the direct responsibility of the secretary of state, but ministers have to take a close and intrusive interest in it. Rooting out rogue nurses ought to be part of a wider safety culture in the NHS. Jeremy Hunt, who was the longest-serving health secretary, made the making of a safety culture a personal mission towards the end of his time in office. Wes Streeting should take up his crusade. The current health secretary should even consider drafting in his predecessor, in a safety overlord role, to assist in trying to change the culture of the NHS at a fundamental level. Mr Streeting owes it to all patients to try a new approach. Patient safety is too important to allow any more years of repeating the same failures.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This Most 'Unhinged' Baby Names, According to Nurses Who Have Heard Them All
When Victoria, a registered nurse from Florida, asked postpartum nurses on TikTok to share a selection of the weirdest baby names they've heard, they certainly delivered. 'I'm bored. NICU/L&D/postpartum nurses, tell me the most unhinged baby names you've ever heard,' she wrote on TikTok in May 2025. 'And I'm not talking, like, Naveah. I'm talking so unhinged it would send the Social Security office into a coma.' 'I was shocked by the popularity of my post,' Victoria shares with 'Some of the names people commented were borderline unbelievable.' Victoria, who works as a NICU nurse, shares that some of the 'most unhinged' baby names she has heard include Dracula, Messiah and Bronze and Gold. Here's a selection of our favorite ... ahem, unique ... baby name comments, starting with some interesting twin pairs: 'Twins in the NICU — one boy, one girl — named Brock Lee and Callie Flower.' 'Not a nurse but worked on postpartum floor; twins named Abracadabra and Alacazam.' 'Twins named Michael and Lil Michael. Mom threatened to beat me up when I laughed. I didn't know she was serious.' 'Canon and Crystal. Their last name is Ball.' 'Lucifer ... Oddly enough I took care of another baby named Messiah the same night.' 'I work in pediatric dentistry and we have a kid named Sheep.' 'Arealtruemiracle. All one word.' 'Narwhal ... His name was Narwhal.' "L&D nurse here: Phelony." 'Teacher here. I had triplets: Lincoln, Mercedes and Bentley. I also had twins: Bert and Ernie.' 'Russell, which isn't bad except the middle name is Mania. Russell Mania.' 'Frijoles Guacamole. On my life not joking. We secretly keep a bad baby name book to remind us of all the crazy first and middle names.' 'Blessica.' Around the world, countries have different restrictions on the types of names parents can give their children. Iceland has a strict set of baby-naming rules. If the desired name is not on a list of 4,000 pre-approved baby names, parents must petition a three-person naming committee. New Zealand released a list of 71 baby names that the country rejected in 2024. In New Zealand, names must not be offensive, resemble a title or rank without adequate justification, be unreasonably long or include numbers or symbols. In Japan, local authorities have the power to refuse any proposed name that cannot be pronounced easily or may have 'a negative impact on a child's future.' In America, however, parents have the freedom to name children almost anything they want. While laws vary by state, cites 11 names that have been ruled illegal by the U.S. court system, including King, Queen, Jesus Christ, III and Santa Claus. If you live in America and want to give your child a name that is on the unusual side, you might want to move to Illinois, which doesn't have many naming regulations. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Man kicked medics after pulling baby's oxygen tube
A man who attacked two nurses and a paramedic after pulling an oxygen tube which was connected to an 11-month-old baby has been jailed. Andrew Phillips, 26, became aggressive towards medics while being treated at Blackpool Victoria Hospital on 28 January. Lancashire Police said Phillips "caused chaos" and was believed to have taken cocaine while at the hospital. He was jailed for two years and six months with an extended licence period of 24 months at Preston Crown Court. The force said Phillips tried to enter areas where other patients were being treated and was warned by staff not to go into a cubicle where the baby was receiving care. But Phillips barged past a paramedic and nurse, picked up a chair and threw it out of the cubicle, before falling into and pulling at the IV cable and oxygen tube which were attached to the baby, police said. As the paramedic and two nurses tried to disconnect the tubes to get the baby to safety, he then pulled the arm of one of the nurses, causing a fracture to her arm and wrist. Phillips punched and kicked out at other staff, with another nurse suffering a bruised ankle. Lancashire Police said the baby was unharmed by Phillips' actions. Phillips, of Grange Road, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm, assault causing actual bodily harm and affray. Det Con Alexa Taylor said: "I hope the sentence sends a clear message that the police and courts will not tolerate disturbances on hospital grounds and attacks on our colleagues within the NHS. "Hospitals, NHS staff and paramedics provide care to the sick, injured and vulnerable, and should not be assaulted or put at risk while they are working." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. HM Courts & Tribunals Service
