Strep A

All You Need To Know About RSV And Strep A As A Healthcare Professional

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As the world tries to recover from the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Great Britain has been engulfed by yet another problem, affecting children. RSV and Strep A have so far killed sixteen children, since  September 2022.

What are these 2 demons that are a cause for concern this winter?  According to the NHS, Strep A, Streptococcus A is bacteria commonly found in the throat or the skin which can cause disease in some cases. While according to BBC,

RSV, respiratory syncytial virus is a winter virus, that can feel like a common cold in adults, but which can be dangerous for some young children.   

BBC

These are some of the things that you need to know as a healthcare professional about RSV and Strep A: 

  • RSV typically hits young children of school-going age between 3 and 4  the hardest, 
  • RSV presents symptoms like a regular cold, characterised by a cough and a runny nose. 
  • Epidemiologists suspect that there is a possibility that catching Covid-19 might have worsened children’s susceptibility to diseases by somehow weakening their immune systems. 
  • Strep A is not life-threatening and it poses symptoms like tonsilitis and sore throat, however, it can cause invasive, potentially deadly infections like meningitis.
  • To manage and prevent Strep A, preventative antibiotics can be used and they will also help to reduce the likelihood of infection.
  • Health authorities have recommended that people should wash their hands with soap and water to stop the spreading of bacteria and viruses 
  • It is also recommended to not share utensils and items like cups plates, towels etc which can easily be contaminated.   

In case you are interested in taking last-minute agency shifts, do not hesitate to contact us at 03300300031 or send an email to info@myshifts.work. check out our other blogs on employment tips.

Nurses' Strike

3 Things To Note On Impending Nurses’ Strike

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The impending UK Nurses’ strike has dominated internet searches for weeks on end. As unions try to get the government to grant them double digits pay rise to curtail inflation which has reached its 4-decade all-time high, the highest pay rise given by the UK government in a long time according to Reuters. 

The nurses’ strike which will start this week amid a harsh winter characterised by walk-outs the first-ever industrial action of this kind in the NHS, will see nurses walking out of their jobs on Thursday the 15th of December and on 20 December 2022. 

Here are some statistics listed by Reuters about the strike: 

  • Union estimates forecast more than 1 million working days will be lost in December
  • 1 million working days expected to be lost to strikes this December compares to the 12 million lost in September 1979

Here are a few things you probably should keep in mind about the impending Nurses’ Strike:

  1. The unions are refusing the government’s pay rise offer citing the fact that many have gone for close to a decade without their wages being increased. They said the 4% increment offered by the government is too little in contrast to inflation which rose to about 11% after the onset of the pandemic. 
  2. The strike has caused non-urgent surgeries to be cancelled and in some cases, ambulances are now waiting longer than before. This might cause the government to shift from its previous position and offer as pressure mounts from the public over the strike. 
  3. The government has refused to move from its position and 4% pay rise and they are looking for ways to tighten laws to prevent strikes like these to disrupt healthcare, especially during winter. 

What are your thoughts about the nurses’ strike? While at it, check out our other blogs on various topics. If you need agency shifts in Birmingham call 03300300031 or send an email to info@myshifts.work

Agency Nurse

5 Things To Note If You Are Considering Agency Nursing

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Over the last few months, we have extensively discussed agency nursing. We have shared tips on how to become one, and we have shared tips on what to expect and where to get agency jobs.

Some have reached out to us looking for more information about becoming agency nurses. Some have taken the leap of faith and they are already working for agencies full-time and reaping all the rewards we discussed earlier which include, a flexible schedule, a better rate and more nursing experience.

For some, taking that leap might be a stretch because of many reasons. However, for others, agency nursing is the only way to go as they yearn for a better schedule and more quid in their pockets. In case you have made up your mind and you want to become a full-time agency nurse, here are 5 things you should be aware of:

  1. Work on improving your clinical skills. – agency nurses are required to do a lot of skilled nursing tasks like blood culture collection, urinary catheterisation just to name a few. Agencies would prefer a competent worker, and if you are a competent nurse, your agency nursing journey will be long and enjoyable.
  2. When in doubt ask others – starting out as an agency nurse might be overwhelming. If you don’t know much about the tasks assigned to you, ask, if you are not sure about anything from clinical tasks to paying taxes, ask. The agency world is too small and one mistake might affect you tremendously.
  3. Be open to learning more about new procedures – because there will probably not be fixed tasks, its always good to understudy or learn about new procedures, this will help you on too many levels including helping you fit well with others and making you marketable to multiple agencies sometimes with better rates.
  4. Learn each and every shift’s dos and don’ts – this will minimize mistakes and maximize productivity at work.
  5. Ask more about prescriptions you are not sure about – if you are not sure about something on the prescription, query them. If you have any reservations bout the dosage or anything at all, do not take the prescription as gospel, ask questions.

In case you want to join our other agency nurses, contact us by sending an email with the subject agency nursing to info@myshifts.work and we will respond to your questions or call us on 03300300031