Further to Public Health England’s (PHE) request to third-year nursing students, I opted in for a Band 4 pre -registration nurse role on a six-month extended placement.
To practice effectively in line with the Code (NMC, 2015) all staff had to complete mandatory Covid19 e-learning training, which provided new guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE). I also attended training on oxygen therapy, tracheostomy and blood glucose monitoring, which was organised by the trust. This helped me to improve my knowledge and competence to practice effectively.
I worked on the surgical assessment unit (SAU) which relied on excellent
communication/ documentation from staff. It was a fast-passed environment with rapid patient admissions and discharges, ad-hoc nursing assessments, consultations, and hot clinic services.
An initial challenge I faced was being moved around. This initially caused a lot of stress for me as a management student. I was concerned by the uncertainties ahead. Though, I felt really privileged to be one of the student nurses on the frontline with dedicated NHS staff in this extremely difficult situation.
Visitors were not allowed to visit patients as Covid19 changed the management of patient care; sadly, some patients that suffered cardiac arrests where not offered CPR because of PHE’s aerosol generating procedure guideline. Families were unable visit or be with their
loved ones at their time of death. This was a hard experience, never to be forgotten.
I became aware of the importance of cultural competence because of this global health issue. In dealing with patients from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, I understood that what was culturally acceptable in the UK could be unacceptable elsewhere.
In twelve weeks of placement, I saw what was initially perceived as a global health issue from China, now become a local issue as daily Covid19 deaths occurred in the hospital and all over UK.
I participated in providing care with dignity, using appropriate PPE.
Fadeke Taiye Dare
Adult Nurse Field Student Nurse