Thursday 19 January 2012

Bring back the SENs

I guess things may have now gone too far for a return to the old hands-on style of nurse training for Registered General Nurses (or SRNs), but what about the SENs (State Enrolled Nurses)?

These - for those who don't know - were nurses who were very much trained on the job to be practical, informed nurses. Often, they were people who didn't have much in the way of academic qualifications, but who really wanted to look after people, and they wer invaluable. They had enough theoretical knowlege to be able to spot, say, an incipient deep vein thrombosis, but didn't wante to go up the career ladder and be ward sisters. As students (they were known as puils), they trained on the wards. Every ward had its quota of SENs. But now, they are no longer recognised. Such a shame, and such a dreadful waste. For they, almost above all, would be the staff who would make sure that a patient was fed, watered, kept clean and comfortable; all the basic care which is being gradually eroded, for whatever reason.

4 comments:

  1. As you say, a dreadful waste. I could never see the reasoning behind getting rid of SENs.

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  2. I remember all that, Frances - I was training to be an RGN (only lasted halfway through the course) and everything was so well organised. Every person had an important role to play.

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