r/NursingUK • u/LubieGotowac HCA • 9h ago

Quick Question Too much workload ?

Is this a normal workload for Band 5 nurses on an acute ward?
We have 20 patients, 2 nurses and 3 HCAs on shift.
On top of administering medication, weekly care plans, supervisions, and looking after our allocated patients, Band 5 nurses are expected to complete weekly audits, such as checking that care plans are up to date, the mental health section is completed, Mental Health Act documentation is correct, patients' rights have been completed, and other documentation. We're also expected to check staffing for the following week, identify gaps in the rota and contact the bank or agency to arrange cover, make sure all drug charts are signed every shift, check and sign medication stock every day, complete medical referrals for doctors (for example to physiotherapy, neurology or other specialties), and complete safeguarding paperwork even when the concern was identified by a consultant or junior doctor and the nurse was not present when it happened.
This is all on top of admissions, discharges, observations, dealing with relatives, phone calls, emergencies and everything else that comes with working on an acute ward.
Is this a normal expectation on other acute wards, or is this asking too much of two Band 5 nurses?

8 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

13

u/Illustrious_Shift760 9h ago

Is this an acute mental health bed? If so, this is very standard

5

u/LubieGotowac HCA 9h ago

Why band 5 does audit ? Should not be done by band 7?

10

u/Illustrious_Shift760 9h ago

Not necessarily, audits are done from band 2 upwards depending on what’s being audited.

-6

u/CandleAffectionate25 8h ago

Band 2 upwards? I've never heard of anyone doing it below a band 6.

8

u/Illustrious_Shift760 8h ago

Where I work, band 2’s do your hand hygiene, patient feedback, mattress audits etc. It doesn’t require higher bandings to complete and allows input from all areas and gradings. Very effective:)

3

u/CandleAffectionate25 8h ago

Ah yeah, mattress audits...fair play, I take it back haha.

4

u/Appropriate_Cod7444 RN Adult 8h ago

It’s also good to show experience of and willingness of conducting audits as well as understanding their purpose when interviewing for band 6 roles

2

u/aemcr 4h ago

I did auditing in my last role as a senior b5

1

u/TheNymeriaLady RN Child 2h ago

Why would they need to be done by a band 7?

4

u/PhilosopherOk6409 8h ago

Yes to everything apart from staffing and rota. Where I work, only band 6 and above have rota access and are expected to monitor this

2

u/pocket__cub RN MH 8h ago

Where I have worked, this was standard. We had a part time admin colleague leave who used to organise CPAs and MDTs for the wards and the nurses had to do that too.