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Original poster

I'm a nurse - was on a covid ward during peak AMA

37 replies

cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 13:47

I'm currently sunbathing and bored. I am a nurse. Was newly qualified when covid hit. Was working on a covid ward for a year. My speciality is gastroenterology with I have worked as a HCA for years. AMA

OP posts:
Porcupineintherough · 14/06/2022 17:38

I got covid pretty badly in the first wave. My questions are:

Did your hospital ever have to turn people away?

How soon did you get a handle on what was happening to sufferers and how to help them?

BattenburgDonkey · 14/06/2022 17:39

How many times did you catch covid?

onlyinSpain · 14/06/2022 17:41

What did you think of the clap for nurses thing?

Do you think you should have a pay rise/are you annoyed that you haven't?

Is it true that there were multiple younger people dying?

BaaCake · 14/06/2022 17:42

How are you doing? (And thank you)

ColinRobinsonsfamiliar · 14/06/2022 17:48

First wave, did your ward struggle to get adequate and decent quality ppe?

How did you all get along with the IPADS for communication between pts and their relatives?

For your EOL pts, did you feel you did enough for them? We’re you able to give them your best given the staffing vs pt ratio issues?

When you think back, over the whole of the last 2 years, what stands out foremost in your memory?

Did you loose colleagues to either burnout or who have completely left the profession since it began?

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 14/06/2022 17:49

Will you stay in nursing?

JuneJubilee · 14/06/2022 17:50

Did you fall asleep in the sun? Hope you didn't get burnt!!

neerg · 14/06/2022 17:51

Did you ever feel scared?
Like a mouth drying, heart stopping scared?
And when did you know that 'this was real'?

Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 18:35

Porcupineintherough · 14/06/2022 17:38

I got covid pretty badly in the first wave. My questions are:

Did your hospital ever have to turn people away?

How soon did you get a handle on what was happening to sufferers and how to help them?

We didn't turn anyone away. The first wave our hospital was not full. All outpatients departments were shut down so we were flooded with staff, less people coming in in general. So we were calm in that sense.

It took a couple of months for treatments to be understood and used. At first it was just give oxygen and pray they make it through.

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 18:36

BattenburgDonkey · 14/06/2022 17:39

How many times did you catch covid?

I have had it 3 times. Only once I caught it at work. I'm young and lucky I'm healthy otherwise and have had no after effects.

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:09

onlyinSpain · 14/06/2022 17:41

What did you think of the clap for nurses thing?

Do you think you should have a pay rise/are you annoyed that you haven't?

Is it true that there were multiple younger people dying?

Clap for nurses - the first time I was walking home for a bad shift, so it felt nice. But after that... it felt like a slap in the face, good enough for a clap but not a decent wage.

I'm so annoyed I haven't had a pay rise, I'm looking to go private, if NHS is privatised I am a nurse husband is a doctor and we can look after our family. But it doesn't pay enough to live off of, last month I had to go to a food bank a week before payday because outgoings are just too high.

So from my experience, elderly 70+ and young 40 and below were absolutely fine. Middle age 40-70 we're the worst. Mid 50s so many people died

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Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:10

BaaCake · 14/06/2022 17:42

How are you doing? (And thank you)

I'm doing okay thank you! I had bad PTSD and severe depression after our ward was turned cold (covid negative) the reality of everything id seen and done hit and I was signed off work, now also looking to go private. But I had therapy which has helped me accept things.

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:12

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 14/06/2022 17:49

Will you stay in nursing?

No way! Nursing staff within the NHS are not looked after. I recently had a patient kick me in the stomach and spit at me, I was told to suck it up. If I did that to him I'd be arrested and lose my registration.
I don't get paid enough for the stuff I have to see and do, I've mentioned money a couple of times, I'm bitter haha

OP posts:
BaaCake · 14/06/2022 19:13

@cvidnurse* *I am glad your mental health is better. You must have seen a lot. X

Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:14

neerg · 14/06/2022 17:51

Did you ever feel scared?
Like a mouth drying, heart stopping scared?
And when did you know that 'this was real'?

The first week of the second wave when it was really bad really quick I had this feeling.
It is supposed to be 1 nurse to 1 non invasively ventilated patient (think the big balloons we saw of patients in Italy) I had 7 of those patients to look after on my own. I also didn't know how to work the machine and these patients lives were reliant on me guessing from previous nurse notes and a just as clueless doctor with me. I cried as soon as I left that shift.

OP posts:
Veryverycalmnow · 14/06/2022 19:16

Did you have a party at the end of a shift like some of our government?

Overthebow · 14/06/2022 19:17

How much do you get paid?

kieronsmum · 14/06/2022 19:22

thank you

Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:23

ColinRobinsonsfamiliar · 14/06/2022 17:48

First wave, did your ward struggle to get adequate and decent quality ppe?

How did you all get along with the IPADS for communication between pts and their relatives?

For your EOL pts, did you feel you did enough for them? We’re you able to give them your best given the staffing vs pt ratio issues?

When you think back, over the whole of the last 2 years, what stands out foremost in your memory?

Did you loose colleagues to either burnout or who have completely left the profession since it began?

I used bin bags as hair nets and as aprons. We were okay for gloves... masks had expiry dates of 2016 that were crossed out and 2020 put over the top... so that was worrying but we had no other choice.

Have you used hospital Wi-Fi before? It's horrific, and trying to FaceTime a relative while a patient is lying on the bed not being able to breathe properly is pretty horrific in itself. On the subject of relatives, they called up so much they took us away from the job (obviously they're anxious) but one time my patient died alone whilst I was on the phone to a relative for the 5th time that day.

First wave, yes it was rubbish but we had good staffing ratios so we could sit with EOL patients. Second wave... I still have guilt now, they didn't have the best care, I don't feel we did enough and I feel people were dying uncomfortably.

What stands out the most - two respiratory arrests happening at the same time and is trying to decide to put more effort into. Who had higher chance of surviving.... both died.

Many colleagues have left the profession since covid, because of covid.

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:24

Veryverycalmnow · 14/06/2022 19:16

Did you have a party at the end of a shift like some of our government?

After a traumatic shift my matron gave me a small packet of Jammie dodgers to take home if that counts... we weren't allowed in our staff room together as the room is too small... so unfortunately no parties.

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:24

Overthebow · 14/06/2022 19:17

How much do you get paid?

I take home £1600 a month average

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:26

JuneJubilee · 14/06/2022 17:50

Did you fall asleep in the sun? Hope you didn't get burnt!!

No sunburn! I did have a little nap 😂

OP posts:
Overthebow · 14/06/2022 19:26

cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:24

I take home £1600 a month average

Show quote history

What is that in salary per year and how many years of experience do you have?

Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:30

I earn 25k with 3 years experience

OP posts:
Original poster
cvidnurse · 14/06/2022 19:31

3 years a registered nurse 11 years in total in roles from band 2 HCA, band 3 senior HCA, band 4 in my final year of nursing due to my clinical skills and abilities on the ward

OP posts: