As we are all aware 2020 is Florence Nightingale’s bicentennial year, designated by World Health Organisation (WHO) as the first ever global Year of the Nurse and Midwife. Nurses and midwives make up the largest numbers of the NHS workforce and are highly skilled, multi-faceted professionals from a host of backgrounds that represent our diverse communities. 2020 was to be a chance to showcase and celebrate the professions but I’m sure no one could ever envisage what a year it would prove to be, not just here in the United Kingdom but worldwide.
Nursing I’m sure is not just a job but a calling, a heartfelt passion to care for those who are suffering and in need. I think that quite clearly shows in the amount of NHS staff who have answered the call and come out of retirement to join their colleagues in this crisis.
So many have without doubt gone above and beyond what is expected of them and today, 28th April we have had a minute’s silence to show our respect for those who have already paid the highest price. Hopefully in the near future, when this is all over, we will find a permanent way to honour all these selfless people because we must not forget them.
And when this is over, what then for this courageous group of people. Will they feel so burnt out, emotionally empty and let down that some decide not to continue, I truly hope not. We know from the recent NHS staff survey that our workforce was already feeling the pressure physically and mentally and many staff felt their work was not valued. And with so many unfilled posts already we cannot afford to lose more of the workforce, we need to find ways to retain them.
One thing I do know is, we MUST give them the support, compassion, respect and time to heal that they truly deserve.
In the words of Dame Donna Kinnair – Out of this crisis, we must build a better future for nursing (https://www.rcn.org.uk/news-and-events/blogs/covid-19-out-of-this-crisis-we-must-build-a-better-future-for-nursing)
Retention of Mental Health Staff (RoMHS) 