Many ‘never consider nursing’ as profession is unappreciated

By The Press Association11th May 2015News EnglandCareers, Midwifery, News England, Nursing / Midwifery

One in four 18 to 24-year-olds failed to identify Florence Nightingale as a nurse in a survey that also revealed that one in five people would not choose to go into the profession as they feel nurses are unappreciated.

Just one in five (22%) said they had thought about who will look after them should they become unwell in the future, but more than two out of five (43%) then said they expected it would be nursing staff.

Most people (82%) said they admired nurses, although more than three-quarters (77%) said they had never considered it as a career.

The poll found that when offered reasons why, nearly a third (30%) said because it is a very hard job, while 19% said because nurses are unappreciated.

Nightingale was born 195 years ago today, on May 12 1820. Hailed as the founder of modern nursing, she became famous after improving the unsanitary conditions of soldiers injured in the Crimean War in the 1850s.

Of the 2,000 adults questioned, 74% of 18 to 24-year-olds correctly identified her as a nurse, with 91% getting it right across all the age ranges.

Nuala Close, director of nursing and matron at private healthcare organisation the London Clinic, which commissioned the poll, said: “The role of a nurse in and out of the NHS has changed enormously over the last few decades.

“Whether you aspire to be a community nurse or a director of nursing at a major hospital, there are a million different roles to choose from within this profession. This is what needs to be promoted and this is what young people need to see, a profession, with potential to train, specialise and progress whilst making a difference to the lives of people in need on a daily basis.”