ARmy Rumour SErvice

Nurse2, we have sent you another PM.

Well results of restructuring of the department are now in and our manager has told us because we have to put more trained on at weekends we will have less weekends off so looks like writing is on the wall.
Added to which request for recent training weekend turned down as unimportant and not a priority it would appear that priority for time of is only for hospital and medical appointments.

Check your PM's

I know its a bit of a radical move but would a change of employer help, you are a good nurse with a wealth of experience and a lot of employers would welcome yor skills and support your TA career. And it sounds like you are not exactly enamoured with your present situation either.

Most of the NHS trusts that either myself or my TA collegues have worked for have been really supportive so its either your trust or your manager disregarding policies on the TA.

I also found when moving outside of the health service most employers saw being in the TA as a positive attribute and were keen to know more.

On the training front we badgered the training wing into providing more mill skills training for the reasons you gave earlier - with a bit of imaginative planning they usually manage to sneak a couple of matts in when we're not looking.

Good luck and please consider all options before leaving

Also I don't know of any unit that hasn't got vacancies for nurses at any rank - they're like rocking horse poo!

Have you tried having your friendly RCN rep having a word with personnel department and boss? A lot of the unreasonable practices in the NHS are usually down to one person's opinion, and if challenged by someone using lots of leagalistic words they usually back down, as they have not got a clue how the real world does things.

Looking for the trusts written policy on leave, days off, notice required etc might help giving you grounds to challenge it. if there is not one then you can tell them to put up or challenge the decision. If there is one, again, making them stick to the letter of it will make them think twice.

Some of the conditions you mention could leave the trust open for a case of constructive dismissal if you quit.

I too am a nurse and experience similar difficulties to Nurse2. My weekends on are set in stone so I cannot change them for TA events, but when the boss wants to change them she does, with little notice and no care for other commitments I have.

I have had to cancel numerous weekends and courses due to shift changes. My A/L has to be booked in October for the following April to April year, so it's 18 months in advance! Then my off duty comes out the week before and often gets changed anyway.

Work has taken a week A/L away from me as I had too many weeks booked off before xmas when I go on Herrick, they said I will not have worked enough in that year to have that many weeks off.

When I treid to explain the skills and experiences I had gained from the TA in aninterview for a course at work and was told post interview that I did not get it as I seemed to be more enthusiastic about TA than my job.

Due to the difficulties I have to overcome to actually turn up on a TA weekend (I am also married with children) I too have serously thought about leaving. Fortunately I am with an excellant unit who care about retention. So my advice to Nurse2 is to stay in but change units if you are not getting the support you need.

well resignation is written. Kit is Bagged and unit said they'd collect it but no show as ever. They promise the earth and deliver nothing. Just sad and disappointed in their attitude's towards the last few years but hey ho had a great time with the Artillery in 102 & 105 204 was fun and really enjoyed being an N.O. with them but it all went down hill when I moved to mainland unit big mistake!