‘Be unignorable’

A time for action

RCN steward Alison James-Herbert is making sure nursing staff in her community hospital have access to appropriate PPE now and in the future

The fact that I happen to be a nursing support worker doesn’t make any difference to how good I am as a steward. You just need to be willing to speak up for members and I’m determined to be “unignorable”. 

In March 2020, when the pandemic first hit, people just didn’t know what to do and how to react. It seems like such a long time ago now.

In my workplace, we were initially given masks but were told that one had to last the whole day. We had just one box of single-use masks for the whole ward and we didn't know when more would be available.

Ward managers were doing everything they could to protect their staff, but no-one was listening. I knew this wasn’t good enough.

This all took place while we were nursing confused patients who were terrified they were going to die. My patients are living with dementia and at this point visitors were still allowed so they were being told what was going on outside.

The pressure was immense, and I admit I was scared too. But this was a time for action. I wrote to the lead nurse for our division and told her that without proper protection, we were being treated “like lambs to the slaughter”.

My letter was polite, but my message was one that could not be ignored. I’m not frightened to speak out.

The starkness of my message ensured that action was taken and, not before time, staff were given appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).

I’m not frightened to speak out

I’m now looking at what uniforms we will need to wear while in PPE in the summer. We can’t leave this too late.

There are policies in place, but the cooler uniforms don’t currently exist. There’s very little ventilation in my workplace and working in standard uniforms with PPE will be unbearable as temperatures rise.

I’m working closely with our safety rep to insist we take practical steps to ensure we have the cooler uniforms we need. 

Experience and knowledge

Maive Coley has represented members at all levels and wants to see more nursing support workers becoming RCN reps

I have the same training and development as any other RCN steward so there’s no reason why I can’t represent all members, whatever role they have.

Like all other reps, if there’s an issue I’m not sure about, I seek advice from the RCN. I recently represented a band 8 ward manager who felt she was working at a level above her grade.

I set up a meeting with her and her manager, liaised with HR and  thankfully the issue was resolved by meaningful conversation with the member’s manager – with a missing appraisal document being cited as the reason that her work had not been recognised. 

Addressing inequalities

A lot of people are talking to me about diversity and equality at the moment – it’s an issue that has an impact on everyone.

We’re all different and we all bring something to our workplaces, but many are concerned and feel they are discriminated against. 

My advice is always to learn what’s meant by all the terms when discussing inequality. Look at what you want and make sure you have the necessary protection and understanding of what you’re dealing with.

Proud to represent nursing support workers

As a member of the RCN Nursing Support Workers Committee (East Midlands), I bring workplace issues facing nursing support workers to the attention of the committee. This includes the current pay campaign, but also how we are perceived by others.

Things are getting better, but there is still much to do and change, like when someone says: “You’re only a HCA, what do you know?” We are trained and skilled in our areas and we are not “only”. We are crucial to supporting health and social care.

It's important to spread the message that reps who happen to be nursing support workers can support nursing staff at all grades

Please encourage nursing support workers in your workplace to consider becoming reps. Some members don’t even realise that all  RCN reps have the same learning and development, whatever their role, so it’s important for us to spread the message that reps who happen to be nursing support workers can support nursing staff at all grades.

I tell other nursing support workers to give it a go – to have confidence in themselves and remember the brilliant training they’ll get at the RCN.

It’s important to look at what people can do, not what they can’t.