Physical challenges, staff turnover, and burnout - this is why Suffolk nurses are joining the most disruptive week of strikes in the history of the NHS.
Nurses are today on their second consecutive day at the picket line at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, saying the government "needs to listen to what is happening on the shop floor".
They say they are suffering with low pay, staff shortages, the rising cost of living, and pressure to look after patients in worsening conditions.
They joined nurses at their picket lines at hospitals in Ipswich, Clacton, Colchester, Norwich, and Cambridge.
Nursing assistant Cybèle said that "patients deserve better".
She said: “Patients deserve better than what we are giving them at the moment and we deserve better. We need more staff. If pay increases, we might retain staff.
"It’s a hard job. It’s a physically and mentally hard job and we deserve to be paid more.”
Sara, a trainee advanced clinical practitioner, added: “The government needs to listen to what is happening on the shop floor.”
With the rising cost of living, Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RNC) were balloted last year and decided to strike.
Around the issue of pay, many said their pay review did not take inflation into account.
Poppy, a sister, said: “People are leaving the profession altogether. They are getting burnout and I have experienced burnout myself.
"The pay does not really reflect the job we do now, which is really challenging and hard. It is time things changed and we need to be listened to and that is why we are here.”
André Dos Santos, RCN Suffolk branch chair, said: “We are striking because we think it is important and we need to see change for nurses and for health care assistants, with better pay so our profession can become more attractive so more people join the workforce."
RCN Eastern took part in strike action on December 15 and 20 last year, followed by further action on January 18 and 19, 2023.
See what nurses at Ipswich Hospital had to say during the first day of strike action on Monday.
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