Job Profile under AfC

Hi,

Just (yet another) an AfC question. The RCN and DoH has the recommended job
profiles, which I'd finally gotten around to looking at - despite being
assimilated over for almost a year now! Anyway, these job profiles, are they
a recommendation for Trusts to base salaries on or should they be adhered
to?

The reason behind the question: Pre AfC I was a Primary Nurse or E grade or,
according to the RCN job profile a team leader nurse. Post AfC I am now a
band 5 'nurse' (according to the RCN job profile). This was a widespread
Trust decision to assimilate us across to this band. Myself, and my other
'primary nurse' colleagues are expected to undertake a number of roles that
differ to that of the Associate Nurses (D grades), who have also been
assimilated across as band 5 'nurse' the majority on the same pay point. We
co-ordinate the ward in managements absence (and even when management are
there), we carry a site bleep and have to respond to emergency calls for
other wards. Bed management and staffing management are also within our
duties. We have to undertake staff rostering and junior staff appraisals. We
are the named nurses for patients within our care, therefore, problems fall
back on our shoulders. These are just some of the tasks we have to
undertake, but then there's the self inflicted duties that we semi-volunteer
for (PDU leaders, Link nurses, etc)

I know that there are a large majority of nurses out there undertaking these
tasks and more, but I was concerned that many of those tasks, according to
job profiles falls on the shoulders of our band 6 and 7 managers, but have
been delegated to us.

Are there any other nurses in similar predicaments and are they just
'getting on with it' or have they raised their voices. Should I just listen
to the written advise of one of our dear local labour leaders and 'be
professional and stop complaining' - in fairness, that was in relation to a
nurse's comment regarding our staged pay rise - which, I gather I should be
thankful for. BUT that's another can of worms I guess has already been
opened on here!

Anyway, one day I'll write something in here that is positive - one day.

TIA

"styrel" <styrel.form@hotmail.com> wrote ...
> Myself, and my other 'primary nurse' colleagues are expected to undertake
> a number of roles that differ to that of the Associate Nurses (D grades),
> who have also been assimilated across as band 5 'nurse' the majority on
> the same pay point. We co-ordinate the ward in managements absence (and
> even when management are there), we carry a site bleep and have to respond
> to emergency calls for other wards. Bed management and staffing management
> are also within our duties. We have to undertake staff rostering and
> junior staff appraisals.

Most, if not all of these would suggest band 6 to me - but then, they would
have been F grade tasks in the old days; you were being robbed long before
AfC!!

> We are the named nurses for patients within our care, therefore, problems
> fall back on our shoulders. These are just some of the tasks we have to
> undertake, but then there's the self inflicted duties that we
> semi-volunteer for (PDU leaders, Link nurses, etc)

Named nursing and primary nursing are not recognised as having any value by
NHS management; primary nursing is about quality care, rather than fast
turnover, so doesn't fit with 'targets'.

AfC is the latest in a long line of initiatives to shaft health service
workers - but many managers - including yours, by the sound of it - were
expert long before AfC came along.

Ours came up with a great one at Easter; all the managers were off (of
course!), so they gave the bleeps to staff nurses who had never had them
before, had no training or supervised practice, and made them responsible
for ward staffing over the holiday. With the added joy that they were not
allowed to book any agency nurses, - even when three staff took a sickie on
one ward.

So these unfornutae staff nurses were made responsible for staffing - but
given zero authority to actually manage - except take a gamble on which
wards should be most dangerously staffed. There was no option to operate a
safe service.

Managers. Love or hate 'em. But mostly hate 'em.
--

Andrew Heenan
http://www.realnurse.net/

	#1
styrel	Job Profile under AfC Hi, Just (yet another) an AfC question. The RCN and DoH has the recommended job profiles, which I'd finally gotten around to looking at - despite being assimilated over for almost a year now! Anyway, these job profiles, are they a recommendation for Trusts to base salaries on or should they be adhered to? The reason behind the question: Pre AfC I was a Primary Nurse or E grade or, according to the RCN job profile a team leader nurse. Post AfC I am now a band 5 'nurse' (according to the RCN job profile). This was a widespread Trust decision to assimilate us across to this band. Myself, and my other 'primary nurse' colleagues are expected to undertake a number of roles that differ to that of the Associate Nurses (D grades), who have also been assimilated across as band 5 'nurse' the majority on the same pay point. We co-ordinate the ward in managements absence (and even when management are there), we carry a site bleep and have to respond to emergency calls for other wards. Bed management and staffing management are also within our duties. We have to undertake staff rostering and junior staff appraisals. We are the named nurses for patients within our care, therefore, problems fall back on our shoulders. These are just some of the tasks we have to undertake, but then there's the self inflicted duties that we semi-volunteer for (PDU leaders, Link nurses, etc) I know that there are a large majority of nurses out there undertaking these tasks and more, but I was concerned that many of those tasks, according to job profiles falls on the shoulders of our band 6 and 7 managers, but have been delegated to us. Are there any other nurses in similar predicaments and are they just 'getting on with it' or have they raised their voices. Should I just listen to the written advise of one of our dear local labour leaders and 'be professional and stop complaining' - in fairness, that was in relation to a nurse's comment regarding our staged pay rise - which, I gather I should be thankful for. BUT that's another can of worms I guess has already been opened on here! Anyway, one day I'll write something in here that is positive - one day. TIA

	#2
Andrew Heenan	Re: Job Profile under AfC "styrel" <styrel.form@hotmail.com> wrote ... > Myself, and my other 'primary nurse' colleagues are expected to undertake > a number of roles that differ to that of the Associate Nurses (D grades), > who have also been assimilated across as band 5 'nurse' the majority on > the same pay point. We co-ordinate the ward in managements absence (and > even when management are there), we carry a site bleep and have to respond > to emergency calls for other wards. Bed management and staffing management > are also within our duties. We have to undertake staff rostering and > junior staff appraisals. Most, if not all of these would suggest band 6 to me - but then, they would have been F grade tasks in the old days; you were being robbed long before AfC!! > We are the named nurses for patients within our care, therefore, problems > fall back on our shoulders. These are just some of the tasks we have to > undertake, but then there's the self inflicted duties that we > semi-volunteer for (PDU leaders, Link nurses, etc) Named nursing and primary nursing are not recognised as having any value by NHS management; primary nursing is about quality care, rather than fast turnover, so doesn't fit with 'targets'. AfC is the latest in a long line of initiatives to shaft health service workers - but many managers - including yours, by the sound of it - were expert long before AfC came along. Ours came up with a great one at Easter; all the managers were off (of course!), so they gave the bleeps to staff nurses who had never had them before, had no training or supervised practice, and made them responsible for ward staffing over the holiday. With the added joy that they were not allowed to book any agency nurses, - even when three staff took a sickie on one ward. So these unfornutae staff nurses were made responsible for staffing - but given zero authority to actually manage - except take a gamble on which wards should be most dangerously staffed. There was no option to operate a safe service. Managers. Love or hate 'em. But mostly hate 'em. -- Andrew Heenan http://www.realnurse.net/