The Student Room Group

Bank Nursing

I've been looking at this as a way to raise extra cash in the holidays etc, and it seems fairly well paid and flexible. Do any of you guys do this? Also, how easy is it to secure a job you can do over the holidays? I'm at uni a long way away from home lol.
Reply 1
I'm a student nurse and on the bank at my local hospital. It's good because it's really flexible... you ring them up when you know you're going to be free... weeks in advance if you want. They'll see if they have anything on those dates for you and book you straight away, if not they'll ring you if something comes up. And if you become available to work at short notice, you can give them a ring and see if they have anything for you because sometimes they can't find cover til the last minute if people are off sick at short notice etc. It'll depend on the hospital you want to work for how many shifts you'll get... I've heard some trusts are cutting back on the number of bank workers they use due to budget cuts. But give the hospital a ring and see.
Reply 2
yea i've been doin it for about six months as i'm on my gap year goin to study med in sept. Yea its really really flexible if one week you wanna work 30 hours you probly could. If the next you wanna work 70 you probly could. But yea it does depend on the area and the hospital how many shifts there are you can work as many as six hours a week if you wanted to. and you get paid for the training. In my area there is ample work so its quite lucrative. The moneys quite good and the work is it not to stressfull. If you wanna apply you have to do it like 5 months in advance cos thats how long it took for me to get the job.
Reply 3
i would actually recommend anybody to join the bank right now.

because of the finacial problems in the NHS some qualified nurses are finding it difficult to get jobs on qualifying and at least if your on the bank you will be assured of some work... they should change your status from HCA to RN on registration.

not all banks pay you any better, as you will be working for the NHS you will still come under the AFC pay and conditions... but its more than you would get stocking shelves in tescos :wink: and its good for references and for using your clinical skills.

best of luck
Reply 4
do it! a friend who is studying physio with me used to be a nurse and she does about 1 weekend a month as a bank nurse. She makes quite a bit of money from these weekend shifts (I think she is quite a senior grade) so if you are qualified to do it then go for it! Plus the shifts are totally flexible
Reply 5
think twiga was meaning as an HCA

oin the bank in edinburgh you only get paid a band 5 no matter how experienced you are and thats pretty pants if you are well qualified.

but bank HCA work is better paid than some other part time work.
Reply 6
What's a bank nurse? :redface:
Reply 7
Lulu34
think twiga was meaning as an HCA

oin the bank in edinburgh you only get paid a band 5 no matter how experienced you are and thats pretty pants if you are well qualified.

but bank HCA work is better paid than some other part time work.


Oh really? Well my friend goes home to Newcastle to work, obviously the money is better there!
Reply 8
EskimoJo
What's a bank nurse? :redface:



its basically a pool of nurses. each trust has bank nurses and hcas who can work as and when it suits them if their are shifts availabe to cover shortages, sickness, mat leave etc.
Reply 9
SamJL
Oh really? Well my friend goes home to Newcastle to work, obviously the money is better there!


thats quite interesting... i think scotland is trying to save its pennies (and lothian more so as they only use band 5 RNs).... theres a national guideline as they are not supposed to use agencies cos they charge more than bank staff... and one of the big agencies has dropped its pay inline with this.
I'm a student nurse and on the bank at my local hospital. It's good because it's really flexible... you ring them up when you know you're going to be free... weeks in advance if you want. They'll see if they have anything on those dates for you and book you straight away, if not they'll ring you if something comes up. And if you become available to work at short notice, you can give them a ring and see if they have anything for you because sometimes they can't find cover til the last minute if people are off sick at short notice etc. It'll depend on the hospital you want to work for how many shifts you'll get... I've heard some trusts are cutting back on the number of bank workers they use due to budget cuts. But give the hospital a ring and see.


Hi does anyone know if you can work for the bank of your a children’s nurse? I need to choose my branch and my heart says children’s but worried there will be less jobs thanks
Original post by Gman1617
yea i've been doin it for about six months as i'm on my gap year goin to study med in sept. Yea its really really flexible if one week you wanna work 30 hours you probly could. If the next you wanna work 70 you probly could. But yea it does depend on the area and the hospital how many shifts there are you can work as many as six hours a week if you wanted to. and you get paid for the training. In my area there is ample work so its quite lucrative. The moneys quite good and the work is it not to stressfull. If you wanna apply you have to do it like 5 months in advance cos thats how long it took for me to get the job.

Hi does anyone know if you can work for the bank of your a children’s nurse? I need to choose my branch and my heart says children’s but worried there will be less jobs thanks
Original post by Janey44
Hi does anyone know if you can work for the bank of your a children’s nurse? I need to choose my branch and my heart says children’s but worried there will be less jobs thanks

Any nurse can work on bank, regardless of which speciality you're trained in - you just can't cover a department you're not trained in (ie I'm an adult nurse so can't do bank shifts in my hospital's children's unit or the MH facility next door, the MH nurses can do bank shifts on the wards in their faculty but can't come over and do bank shifts on the adult wards).

You'll still end up in a job at the end of your nursing degree - you've got onto children's nursing because the course still runs because there's jobs out there requiring children's nurses.

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