Nurses and there pay rise

Why would they need/want more ?

Since the election is coming up, ive been hearing about nurses only getting a 1% pay rise, and so much aggro over this but why ? Dont nurses get paid like £20000 a year ?

Why would they need/want more ?

To be able to pay their mortgage? To be able to go home and relax after a long shift without having to worry about money? To pay for their kid's school shoes? To be able to afford a cheap holiday or two?

There is a need to attract and retain competent nurses, fill staff shortfalls and become less reliant on importing nurses from abroad. It is difficult to achieve that by cutting wages in real terms.

Pay should be about supply and demand. Need and want don't really come into it.

A 1% pay rise is actually a pay cut in real terms, so your question should be somewhat different. How much of a mortgage, or even rent, does £20k support? I assume that's a starting salary, but even then, it seems low. Nurses do a difficult job, work shifts and are vital to a patient's treatment. They seems to be difficult to hire, so demand looks to outstrip supply, from my limited knowledge.

But what about everyone else who is earning £20k ?

But what about everyone else who is earning £20k ? As a starting salary its still not bad. I dont understand why its difficult to hire nurses, arent many people interested in the degree, we have some many fantastic uni's here that can support people including nurses.

Because it's long shifts - usually 12 hours, but you're often off late. It's very busy, so you don't always get a break. The shifts are 24/7 which means you will be working nights, bank holidays, Easter, Christmas. Some shifts will be finishing at times like 2am - public transport might not be running, but you'll be charged to park your car and may not be able to find a space. It's hard emotionally seeing ill people. People die, even children. You'll see some very horrible injuries, and thinks like abused children. Some patients will be drunk and abusive. Some patients are not drunk but are still abusive. Some patients will be waiting too long so will complain, or management will complain about waiting times. But you'll have too many patients and not enough hands. Any mistakes you make could kill someone, so you're not allowed to have an "off-day". Protocols and treatments change, and you're expected to do continual CPD in your spare time to keep on top of things.

Newly qualified nurses earn about £21,692 as their starting out salary. It then goes up depending on experience and new roles they take on. This is also the same wage for newly qualified junior doctors I believe.

Sure, nurses don't get paid a lot, but they don't go in it for the money. In terms of rent etc., many live outside of London or in council houses anyway, due to the low pay. With low pay, they may qualify for free school meals etc., sure,mits not a lot, but it's manageable, and that's all they care about if they become nurses

I think we moan because admin get the same pay as we do aswell.. 😂 That's why I moan my friend is on the same as me and she is in admin it's frustrates me!