#CrisisCareersHeroes Profile: Nurse

Carmen is a student nurse who begins her career as a staff nurse next month. As part of this week's #CrisisCareersHeroes campaign, she talks about how the coronavirus crisis has affected her day-to-day work.

Name: Carmen Sumadiwiria
Job title: Student nurse (soon to be staff nurse)
Employer: Bart’s Health Trust
#CrisisCareersHeroes field of work: Looking after us
Career Zone: Medicine & Healthcare

What does your job involve?

Every day in the life of a nurse is different, but on an inpatient ward you typically support patients to do all the things that they would normally do at home. That could mean helping them wash if they can’t due to restricted mobility. It might mean supporting them to eat and drink properly, even though they might have problems swallowing. You manage patient’s medications, liaise with social workers, doctors, other therapists and generally guide them through their journey towards recovery. Sometimes, you are with them in their final moments.

However, nursing is incredibly diverse and not all nurses necessarily work on a ward. You could be visiting patients at home, helping them to manage their long-term condition together with their family. You could be admitting patient’s into A&E, triaging them into different parts of the hospital. Down the line you could specialise in a specific disease or expand your skills to work more independently as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner.

How has coronavirus affected your job?

Due to covid-19 we have needed to take additional precautions in hospitals, such as wearing more PPE (personal protective equipment). In some ways, nothing has changed about our jobs as we continue to deliver patient care to the best of our abilities. However, hospitals are hot spots for infection, and filled with vulnerable individuals so I feel a huge responsibility to be vigilant at all times.

Check out this article on how to become a nurse.

Today, we're highlight workers who are looking after us during the coronavirus crisis as part of our #CrisisCareersHeroes campaign. Check out our article here.