Is nursing a ’profession’ ?

Is nursing a profession ?

Also: does being in a profession autmaticaly qualify you for middle class status ?

Edited by wizbix

Actually one of the traditional ways of judging your class was if you were part of a profession, owned land, or had a manual labour job.

Does it matter in today society ? I think it still does, but to a lesser extent. No I dont agree that it should.

no nursing is not a profession its a joke. Ive just woke up to reality

I am sad to read you feel this way Mary.
I have been in the Health Care sector for over 20 yrs but only qualified as a Staff Nurse in march and i no i am in profession as a professional.
I work in theatre as a Scrub Nurse and in 4 weeks i will be working in the prison as a Prison Nurse(S/N).
I will be in 2 governing bodies as a Professional the RCN and the POA.

Shaz you have surpassed me! A woman of few words, but those few words gets the point across!

As for you smithy how did you get your post as a professional??? Im talking from what and many more are experiencing. Mature newly qualified nurses have a lot to offer. Alot of things are going on with the NHS at the moment if you choose to close your eyes to it then so be it but my eyes are wide open.    

Yes i have alot to say on the subject because i am experiencing the situation that is why i have come on here to see if other people are experiencing the same thing. As for interviews this is how it is in Birmingham and if you want the area and hospitals i am happy to give it to you. I had one interview with no problems with my application form. The problem was i answered the questions satifactory BUT other people scored higher points on the interview. Heres one for you the people they took on turned them down cause they applied at another hospital and they got the job their. So now the hospital are having to advertise again which i am reapplying. Now I have spoken to the ones who turned this named hospital down and these people are in their 20's. Now if they would of had me i would still be working for them. LOOKS LIKE THEIR POINT SYSTEM DIDNOT WORK HAHA. This is what i mean about reading application forms properly and weighing the pros and cons.   

I have only had one interview. I have applied for 30 jobs. I have asked someone to look at my apllication form and they cannot see anything wrong with it. So as for being negative i dont know what you are going on about. I have a right to moan and so would you if you have put in 3 years of hard work to find out that your left high and dry. I am worse off than when I started my nursing course because at that time I was employed properly by the Trust and i was a B grade healthcare assistant. The trust know how I work and i have never had a day off sick also i work as a team member and never had any bad reports even when i was a student nurse. So you tell me whats wrong with the trusts then cause im going to go out my way to find out. I am awaiting feed back on my third application. You would be shouting if your seeing students who have not completed their course getting the job before you especially when you have a pin number and are ready to start work. The ones they are taking on are moaning already and are only after the experience. I dont think the trust want loyal staff. I think its to do with finances.

its coming across because I'm experiencing the situation at the moment. I went to a hospital visit in Wolverhampton today me and another girl was shown around its private. Very nice i must say. The matron asked me what is happening in Birmingham because she has had hundreds of application forms for registered nursing positions. I explained the situation she was shocked. I live near five hospitals and their are no jobs for newly qualified. UCE and Birmingham University finish their courses the same time hundreds apply for so few vacancies that are going for students that have just left uni. Thank god i have agency work to help me with my finances or i would be begging on the streets. I did agency all through my three years training as the bursary was not always reliable.

Oh and the hospital i keep applying for where i work as agency heres one for you!!! I asked about my application i had put in to work as a registered nurse as i have not received an email Human Resources said i should get one today which i have not so I telephoned the person who is dealing with the applications and asked her why i have not been shortlisted and what is it that i need to improve on to get the interview with the trust she was going on about matching what i have experienced as a student with the post im applying for?? I explained that i have done that I also mentioned that i have alot of experience as a Health Care assistant and work on the nurse bank. Human Resources said that life expereinces means diddly squat ???? I said that it matters alot. I also said i have my pin number and qualifications what more do they want??? Ive booked an appointment to see her tomorrow as I not impressed with what she is saying.

As i have said Mary i wish you all the good luck with finding a position.
As i do with everone who is in the same position.

I am not sure that Mary is in a unique situation. There is a lot of disquiet
concerning the fate of newly qualified nurses throughout the 'profession'.
As a nation we are on the verge of 'the demographic timebomb' seeing a
significant number of staff in the health service retire which I suspect will
leave gaps in nursing for health care.

While I do not believe that anyone is owed a job, it is short-sighted not to
ensure that those nurses leaving university have access to posts for
experience, we will need their expertise once the baby boomers retire. In
the meantime, those who would have gone into nursing will have drifted
into other jobs and will be unlikely to take up the 'profession' that treated
them in this fashion.

Good luck Mary in your endeavours. I can tell from the tone of your
entries that you are angry with the current situation and I really do not
blame you. I just hope that you are able to manage your anger and not
allow it to interfere with your interview/s.

Thankyou so much tarragon and Shaz for a well worded reply, I have not been myself lately and many apologies to all here and in my own forum for not being the professional I am and have been taught to be

Mary,I wish you luck in your search for employment and life is never fair, but you do need to think positvely and say to yourself I am worth it and my training is worth it

Your study has not gone to waste, your have broadened your mind and learnt things that others pay for and yes you are a nurse and you can confidently say to your future employers I am ready "so give me the chance to prove myself"

Don't give up hope, you have come this far and so now it can only get better for you, but in time!

I worked hard on my placements and the nhs got value for money. I also kept a job going through my nurse training. I paid for my nurse training as I have worked all my life.

Alot of nurses got their nurse training on the wards and did not experience what the new students have to experience now. The jobs were their for the nurses when they finished. Until you experience whats happening now I dont think anyone can comment on it. Ive told students to go and find out for themselves what is happening as it is important what they are up against when they qualify. Alot of the students are being mislead about how difficult it is getting the nursing posts that are so few. Its no good sticking their head in the sand and saying its suddenly going to change because it wont if the university keeps taking on students just to keep themselves in a job. Or employing overseas nurses paying them less money. Thats how it is out their im living it.   

Well Elaine,

I would employ you for the sheer determination you show!

However I am not in a postion to do so and that is why I wanted to do nursing!

I wanted to change things for the better, I wanted to make a difference to patients and their treatment as my treatment, whilst in hospital was very bad, many years ago!!

I nearly died a couple of times and I thought my nurses were a bunch of heartless cows that did not even try and empathise with my situation!!! This was back in early 90's though and a lot has changed since I know!



All I can add here is keep your chin up and keep trying for sure

mary the thing is the overseas nurse were brought here when the NHS was in dire straights in the opposite direction.... im sure if you had come to a country and been her for 5 years you would be a bit pissed off if somebody came along and said you had to leave your home and job cos they were gonna give it to some less experienced nurse.

you just have to keep applying... also remember when it says acute experience this often includes as a student say on management placement.... if you read the person spec you will see exactly what is essential and what is desirable... and even if it says essential apply anyway what have you got to lose.

why are NQ less experienced???

well if you dont know that then im not surprised you dont have a job TBH!

if your NQ then you have no experience as a staff nurse... unlike those who are experienced no matter which country they trained in.

your posts are starting to sound decidedly racist in nature.... and this would mean your existence on the forum is very very limited!!!!


Edited by Lulu

Maybe you should reflect on what you are saying.????????????? Cause you get very personal with your remarks.

Personal opinions...。。。。。。。。。