to think that dd should just come home on the 28th anyway?

[TurquoiseBaubles]

dd is 22 and a nurse, working on the front line in London. She has worked with Covid patients throughout, on an ICU, a CCU, and on her own ward. She is currently working (voluntarily) between two wards, both short staffed and is under huge pressure.

She has only managed to get home once since March. Every other trip home has fallen under lockdown/quarantine rules, and has had to be cancelled.

She volunteered to work Christmas so that staff with children could have time off so is working (nights) Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and the Monday (bank holiday), planning to head home for an alternative Christmas on the 28th.

She and friends were planning to have their Christmas dinner, as a group of 3 who all work together, this weekend. Now due to lockdown, that has been cancelled, and it's now looking as though she can't come home on the 28th as travel is only allowed from 23rd to 27th.

I've said she should just come home anyway. If everyone else can have a free for all Christmas, why can't frontline staff?

She can't cancel the 27th - that would be ridiculous and letting everyone down. That's why the rules are so crazy; volunteering for Christmas is what's caused the problem, otherwise she would just be home on the 23rd like everyone else.

She asked if she can take an extra week and self-isolate before going back to work. She is owed almost 4 weeks holiday before the end of March as all her leave was cancelled during the year due to being short staffed.

She is about to crack; I think a fair few nurses will suffer from PTSD after this. She was literally working in wartime conditions for March and April, working 16 hour shifts four or five days a week; with multiple patients dying on her ward every day. She's exhausted and this is, I think, the last straw.

Because of Covid London hasn't become her home. How could it? All the reasons she moved there have been shafted by not being able to go out, to socialise, to travel, go to shows and concerts, meet people. How she has lived since March isn't in any way normal for a anyone, let alone young adults. And I know "this is a pandemic", but it has been significantly worse for some people than for others.

We are in the same situation. I work for the NHS and am working xmas eve and xmas day. My MIL is a nurse in a care home who is working all the way through from xmas eve night to the 27th night. We are having xmas day with them on the 28th and have made the decision to see them otherwise we wont be able to see them at all over christmas and havent for months. She gets covid tested at work once a week and I get tested twice a week but I would still go as we arent seeing them for the 5 day period

Because of Covid London hasn't become her home. How could it? All the reasons she moved there have been shafted by not being able to go out, to socialise, to travel, go to shows and concerts, meet people. How she has lived since March isn't in any way normal for a anyone, let alone young adults. And I know "this is a pandemic", but it has been significantly worse for some people than for others.

It is utterly shit, I think we all agree that but when it comes to Covid rules London is her home and you cannot dispute that.

Yes, it's obviously her "home" for Covid rule purposes. It will never become home for her though, sadly. I expect she will leave London after Christmas as she is only still there out of a sense of duty. Staffing levels are appalling and she feels she would be letting people down if she leaves. But she will have to now, I think.

Can she apply for jobs closer to home and move back? London will always be there in the future, and our trust is actively recruiting for nurses. I can't even imagine how hard it has been for her, and for you although you should be extremely proud; and such a selfless thing to do to swap with others so they can be with their families. Going by her age she cannot have been qualified long? Which must have made getting to grips with being a NQN and everything else plus moving ridiculously challenging. It would be a shame if after her hard work she left nursing, but she needs to think of herself too, and sounds like she definitely needs a break.