#rcn

The Fairey Firefly was operated in the post-World War II by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), serving from 1946 until its retirement in 1953. The Fairey Firefly was a British-designed, carrier-based aircraft developed during World War II to meet the Royal Navy’s need for a versatile reconnaissance and strike platform. Following the war, Canada sought to establish a capable naval aviation component. In 1946, the RCN acquired 64 Fireflies, which were based at CFB Shearwater in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. These aircraft were operated from the RCN’s aircraft carriers, HMCS Warrior and HMCS Magnificent.

The Firefly served in various roles, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), reconnaissance, and strike missions. The primary squadrons operating the Firefly were:

No. 825 Squadron RCN: Operated the Firefly from 1945 until 1951, after which it was renumbered to 880 Squadron RCN.

No. 826 Squadron RCN: Operated the Firefly from 1946 to 1950, also transitioning to 880 Squadron RCN in 1951.

That was a dangerous narrative perpetuated by the government and media at the height of Covid. It prevents them from being seen as human with human needs. Now it’s being used by the same media and government to justify the horrendous working conditions and pressure they are being put under.

Nurses stay unpaid after every shift to help their patients and colleagues. That’s great! Nurses are heroes ❤️

Nurses working through their breaks to help their patients. That’s great! Nurses are heroes. ❤️

Nurses are dealing with unalive and traumatic situations every day. Nurses are heroes ❤️

Nurses get beaten and abused on shift by patients and relatives but it’s ‘part of the job’. Nurses are heroes ❤️

There is nothing heroic about a person not getting adequate rest between shifts. An exhausted nurse should not be looking after anybody other than themselves. They are human.

There’s nothing heroic about a person not being able to provide themselves with adequate nutrition or hydration. They are human.

There is nothing heroic about not receiving proper support or acknowledgment of the trauma they go through every day. Same with assistants and paramedics. They’re still human.

There is nothing heroic about being black and blue by a patient or stalked by a relative and having to see them the next day. Not being able to do anything about it because it’s seen as ‘part of the role’.

There is a massive difference between ‘knowing what you’re getting into’ as a newly qualified nurse and treating them with disrespect, running them into the ground and expecting them to be ok with not having their basic needs met for the needs of the general public.

The nurses wages do not reflect their working conditions or the trauma they experience and have to heal from. They are human and grieve for their patients too. They don’t reflect that this a vocation requiring a degree. That nurses don’t just ‘make beds’, they insert tubes down peoples throats to breathe for them, take chest drains out, keep people alive with complex concoctions of medications they’ve mixed. And so much more.

The NHS has relied on the generosity of its nurses and assistant staff for too long. That generosity is wearing out. What we are being put through isn’t worth our wages anymore.