Chris Lumley

What a truly worrying account of working within the ward on an agency basis. Whats more concerning is that you showed interest in completing a basic orientation and in gaining further information relevant to your role that day and were still met with a brick wall from the staff on duty. I have never worked agency for this exact concern and again now probably never will. Clearly, any nurse would wish to have a basic idea of of the skills that those working around them have with regard to patient care and also, having an experienced agency nurse is worth their weight in gold. Though I also have not worked within an acute trust ward for some time, I would be mortified if someone made these concerns to me with regard to working anywhere within my organisation, especially if I was within a management position such as ward matron as you discussed - very worrying indeed. Where's your knowledge of the NMC Code ward? Where's your compassion to each other? Where's your concerns for patient safety? My concern also lies with those who are mentors, are they enabling student nurses, physio's, OT's to work in this sort of environment? If so where will this lead the future of the nursing workforce. Well done for struggling through even in this terrible situation and getting to the end of the shift with your patients all well and stable, I am sure the patient's and their relatives would be mortified to hear of staff being subject to these sort of working conditions and I believe a discussion with the ward in question is the least the management could do as they are lucky you've been so willing to adapt and try to speak up.