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Covid

Keyworker Support Thread

136 replies

SpiritEssence · 07/06/2020 18:31

How are you all doing ? I work for a supermarket so been through it all from the start of this. It's been very stressful and the attitude of some people has been disgusting.

But just wanted to be positive as we keyworkers have done so well and we should be proud of ourselves in what ever sector you work kn as a keyworker. It's been tough but and upsetting at times. But keep going we are the backbone of this country.

[Note from MNHQ: title was originally 'To all keyworkers who have worked through this' and has now been changed at OP's request]*

OP posts:
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AnnieCartwright · 07/06/2020 18:34

A lot of us (NHS frontline here) are at the stage now where we are beginning to struggle tbh.

It's all been going on a long time. I'm not sure we are physically or emotionally strong enough yet for a second wave.

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TheLightSideOfTheMoon · 07/06/2020 18:36

I am fucking hanging.

Work in a care home which I love, but been doing extra hours, skeleton staff, residents climbing the walls because their usual activities (swimming, nature parks, cinema, etc) are closed and they don't understand why.

Our boss has been excellent, getting us whatever we ask for (takeaways, pools, water guns) but we're exhausted.

Dreading the heat returning.

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pfrench · 07/06/2020 18:51

It's been very stressful and the attitude of some people has been disgusting.

I can imagine, people are dicks. Everyone I've spoken to working in a supermarket has been super positive and chatty though, so well done for hiding your true feelings!

I found working in school to be the least stressful aspect of the whole thing! Relative normality - always nervous going in, especially at the beginning, but then wanted to be in more and more.

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Seymourcrelborne · 07/06/2020 19:02

Work as a health and safety manager in a food factory and this has without doubt been the toughest thing I've been through in my career. Literally none stop for 3 months.

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ChestyNut · 07/06/2020 19:08

NHS....my team are all struggling now, emotionally and physically.

People wanting to go back to normal but I don’t think I can cope with a second wave Sad

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SegregateMumBev · 07/06/2020 19:10

I’ve been keeping a lockdown diary. Today’s entry says “ I’ve hit a wall. I don’t want to go to work tomorrow”

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NunchukNinja · 07/06/2020 19:12

I spent a week in hospital mid March bedside with elderly parent who died five weeks later. It was before the raping of the supermarkets started. I could almost taste the Adrenalin and fear in the air at the time. I worried so much then that it would be the most incredible burden and slog for all keyworkers. PTSD looms for many I fear. Also have good friend who works in a supermarket. I feel exhausted after 2.5 months of elderly parent I’ll then dying plus running a small bus has nearly crucified me. I’m dying for a holiday. Just a week off would help. I CANNOT imagine how it must have been to be a key worker throughout this.

I send my very best to you all.

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chunkyrun · 07/06/2020 19:14

Carer, didn't have child care from nursery closing so had just been working weekends. Thankfully I'm not in care homes but support young people with complex health needs in their own homes. It honestly has been my life line and kept me sane. Nursery is back open so I've been back to work full time this week. So happy to be lurching towards normality. I do not know how I would have managed without work.

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Northernmum100 · 07/06/2020 19:16

Ups and downs to be honest. Tears and frustrations throughout and things took a dip last week for some reason which we cant put our finger on. I think we are running out of steam and the sight of thousands gathering in crowds has made me sooo mad.

What has been the bloody point.

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cptartapp · 07/06/2020 19:17

Practice nurse. My clinics have still been full since March with patients that need to be seen, urgent bloods, injections, immunisations etc, plus learning how to consult by phone and cover others' roles due to sickness. Flimsy Ppe throughout. Had my antibody test Friday.
It's been difficult but ok, but so so much routine work to catch up on, the second half of the year could well be worse for us than the pandemic.
It's my year 10 and 12's education thats the biggest stressor during all this tbh.

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cheninblanc · 07/06/2020 19:17

Yes, nhs. Fscilitues, half my team still not in, I'm regularly on my own, I'm exhausted, bit fed up and need to give my teenagers some attention. I sincerely hope there's no second wave coming because we have had enough across all sectors xx

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AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii · 07/06/2020 19:18

Community nursing here for nhs Scotland. We were told at the start to expect a tsunami of patients coming home to die with covid, service changed irreversibly, 24hour working etc. Thankfully it never came and our rural area had very few cases and deaths, only 2 colleagues tested positive both cases very mild. All non essential visits cancelled e.g. b12, a lot of care passed back to families. Teams changed to the detriment of our bases.

Everyone is now fatigued, worried that the service hour changes etc will be kept on after all this without consultation, a lot of unrest and people looking for other jobs. Told that the surges planned for in both may and July aren’t happening so now looking at September, everyone totally fed up by this.

Myself? Tired of my area being forgotten, things being missed and having to justify myself if things aren’t to do with covid. Feel like my patients are being failed and I love my job but lately dread going and I never used to feel like this

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Gingernaut · 07/06/2020 19:18

NHS non clinical.

Every day is some kind of nightmarish Groundhog Day with some sort of obstacle race just trying to get into work on time.

Trains and buses are on reduced services, so careful planning is essential to simply make my regular journey.

Tired. Very, very tired.

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Stellaris22 · 07/06/2020 19:22

Supermarket worker. It's mostly been ok and now most people are used to the new shopping experience it's ok, managers and HR have been very supportive.

Main downside is customers not social distancing in stores and acting like we don't exist (brushing straight past when trying to work in the aisles). But we've had thank you cards from some customers which is really lovely.

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plominoagain · 07/06/2020 19:25

Police officer in London. So absolutely whacked , frankly ,

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KitKat1985 · 07/06/2020 19:29

Tired. I'm a nurse and DH also has a (non-clinical) NHS role. We're both full-time. My ward's policy on covid has changed constantly and we've not had much support from senior management. At home DH also has an injury which means I need to pretty much all the cleaning, laundry, gardening etc. We have a 5 year old and 3 year old. The 5 year old is autistic and the 3 year old has been toilet training. Any free moment I get I'm trying to do DD1's schoolwork with her. She's developmentally delayed and usually has a 1:1 as part of her EHCP and I feel completely bewildered by how to teach her. Oh, and her SALT team have sent me through her speech therapy work to do with DD1 as though I've not got enough to do. All my usual support networks (school, nursery, my Mum) have been (largely) closed to me (a bit of keyworker care but they're not doing any schooling). I can't go on like this much longer.

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SpeedofaSloth · 07/06/2020 19:29

I'm tired. I need a week off and it's not going to happen yet, and I am scared now that as services open up again I will have to pick up all usual duties while still in pandemic role. Not sure I will cope. (NHS.)

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SpiritEssence · 07/06/2020 19:30

We have all been through so much its draining and I dont think people see that and just expect it now as it's the new normal to them but I dont think it will ever be the new normal to us. Thanks to you all and let's hope we all have some well deserved time off but cant see that happening just yet Flowers

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Cornettoninja · 07/06/2020 19:31

Oh I’ve a meme for this! Grin

Back office hospital NHS and I’m just tired now. Supermarket workers have my utmost respect for still turning up right now.

For me it’s highlighted exactly what a shower of clowns I entrust my workplace health and safety to. For all their ‘ambition’ and ‘initiative’ their utter resistance to different working practices that would offer a layer of protection has been an insult (but we’re all meant to applaud IT for managing to set up the upper echelons with Teams so they could work from home Hmm).

I feel resigned to it at the moment though since it’s really not the time to actively choose to be unemployed. Even when there’s no profit involved power hungry twats still have you by the short and curlies.

I’m slightly nauseous at the thought of these people peacocking for the next few months and patting themselves on the back when really they need booting out of their comfort zones and learning what they could be doing better.

Keyworker Support Thread
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Doyouthinktheysaurus · 07/06/2020 19:31

Have been struggling the last few weeks. Too many hours and too much stress.

I had 3 months with no more than 2 days off together and working 50 hour weeks. Things have eased a bit but the mental strain is still there and the changes to the way we work and increased stress that goes with it are here to stay.

I've spent my weekend off with a migraine which started on Thursday. I really need a fucking holiday. Proper week or 2 off. Instead I start again tomorrow.

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JustFrigginNameChange · 07/06/2020 19:32

I work for the NHS and it's been really easy as there have been less people going to appointments. Also my daughter has been able to go to school so she's not been stuck in all day every day. I'm thankful for having changed jobs from retail to NHS because I've been able to carry on as normal

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SpeedofaSloth · 07/06/2020 19:32

I can only work my current long hours because DH is furloughed. The longer he is off the more scared of redundancy he is becoming. So leaving my job just isn't an option. And I miss my children, and they miss me.

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bloodyhellsbellsx · 07/06/2020 19:36

Frontline nurse practitioner in ED, it’s been okay, work load had massively decreased but now starting to pile back up, the next few months are going to be horrific though.

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Poppiesway1 · 07/06/2020 19:37

I’m frontline and it’s been hard. There is no sign of a let for a good few months. We now have all the routine patients who were cancelled to try and get through.. I’m personally having to work 6 day weeks until the end of July to try and get through the backlog of now urgent patients. I’m shattered now, let alone if a second wave comes.
I’m a single parent. Ex DH doesn’t have the dc. The school wouldn’t take ds2 as he’s asthmatic and said he couldnt attend so my adult ds1 has been schooling him for me (home from
Uni).
On the plua side.. ive saved on school bus fare though Grin

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FiveGoMadInDorset · 07/06/2020 19:38

NHS admin for nursing bank gone from part time to full time, single parent and will be using my first week off in June to help DS catch up with his schoolwork as quite frankly couldn't work and homeschool so a choice of resigning or no work completed for DS

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