News

Nurse morale: pay rise would help prevent looming workforce exodus – RCN

Survey finds poor staffing and long hours are pushing nurses to consider quitting
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp Email Share
A depressed looking black nurse. Over half of BAME nurses say their experiences over the pandemic led them to consider quitting Picture: iStock

Survey finds poor staffing and long hours are pushing nurses to consider quitting

 iStock
More than half of BAME nurses in the survey are considering leaving their jobs
Picture: iStock

Nurses are experiencing increased stress, putting in more hours amid staff shortages and working above their pay grade, RCN analysis indicates.

The college's findings come from a survey of 41,000 members in May and June.

Higher stress levels and greater responsibility

Just over three quarters (76%) of respondents reported an increase in their stress levels.

A third (34%) were working at a higher level of responsibility – and 90% of those people said they had no extra pay.

More than a third (38%) said staffing levels had worsened during the pandemic and a third were working longer hours.

While most (88%) respondents said they were passionate about their job, just over a third (35%) might consider leaving by the end of this year. 

Risk of nurses leaving the profession

 ‘The pandemic is not over’
Dame Donna Kinnair: the nation risks
losing nurses if pay does not improve

Almost half (44%) said the way nursing staff have been treated during the pandemic has made them consider quitting, with the percentage being higher among black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) staff (54%) than in white respondents (42%).

RCN general secretary Dame Donna Kinnair said the findings supported the college’s call for a significant pay rise without delay. 

‘The pandemic is not over, but unless there is improved pay, we risk many of our members leaving the profession – at a time when the nation needs them more than ever,’ she said.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘The Agenda for Change deal is delivering year-on-year pay increases for our valued NHS staff, including increasing the starting salary for a newly-qualified nurse by over 12%.’


Related material


In other news

Jobs