‘If it’s offbeat and in Cardiff then it’s online here’
LISTEN To OUR PODCAST
  • Social Life
    Social Life
    Women in cowboy hat at country music event.

    A popular country music night in Cardiff brings fans together to make new friends

    Outside of Cardiff Central train station, showing the Christmas illuminations

    Local Welsh art projected on station as part of a huge Light of Winter trail

    Author and storyteller launches typewriter-for-hire service in Cardiff market

  • Work Life
    Work Life

    Two chefs to open a restaurant after the decline in Wales’ hospitality industry

    Local Rainbow

    How Welsh musicians are using social media to keep the spirit of bilingual music alive

    Picture of monitor on.a film set, showing actors preparing for a scene in the background

    Training project that aims to make screen sector more accessible gets funding boost

  • Active Life
    Active Life

    Local yoga instructor sees a rise in men embracing yoga classes to improve wellbeing

    ‘Men and women are not built the same’: Fighting for female-friendly fitness gear

    Three girls playing netball, laughing and smiling

    Netball participation among adults is growing as women seek a sense of community

  • Public Life
    Public Life
    AI Generated image of an empty theatre

    The last act? Wales’ arts sector faces an uncertain future in challenging times

    A cluttered wardrobe that could use the help of rental fashion

    Fashion crisis unwrapped: The ‘rental revolution’ for Welsh consumers’ wardrobes

    Four wheels to two, how the Welsh government has failed to get the nation active

  • Long Reads
    Long Reads

    ‘Men and women are not built the same’: Fighting for female-friendly fitness gear

    AI Generated image of an empty theatre

    The last act? Wales’ arts sector faces an uncertain future in challenging times

    A cluttered wardrobe that could use the help of rental fashion

    Fashion crisis unwrapped: The ‘rental revolution’ for Welsh consumers’ wardrobes

  • Magazine
    Magazine
    queer magazine cover

    The Queer Culture Issue

    Magazine cover showing a rugby pitch

    The Grassroots Issue

    Magazine cover showing Christmas presents wrapped up

    The Mental Health Issue

  • Podcasts
Reading
‘We’ll clap you every Thursday night, but I can’t pay back my student loan from that’
ShareTweet

‘We’ll clap you every Thursday night, but I can’t pay back my student loan from that’

Megan Gaen·
No logo
·6 December 2021

Newly qualified nurse Ffion Nugent was a student nurse deployed during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the highest praise she received was a round of applause

Nurse Ffion Nugent in her local park in Roath
Without the pandemic, Ffion wouldn’t have had as much confidence in herself as she does now. Credit: Megan Gaen.

Life ground to a halt in March 2020, as the UK entered its first national lockdown, but for healthcare workers their lives got busier than ever. Ffion Nugent was one of Cardiff University’s student nurses called up to work in the NHS.

However, the pandemic was a particularly complex time for all NHS staff, let alone the students who were working full-time for the first time ever. The student nurses were paid, but this didn’t make up for the fact that they lost their university education during this time, yet still must pay for it.

Listen to this story:

CardiffJomec · From student nurse to newly qualified via a global pandemic

The Covid-19 call-up

The 21-year-old explained she became a part of the NHS staff, taking on her own patients and receiving a wage. She worked on the acute medical ward in a Newport hospital.

But despite wearing her student scrubs, she explained there wasn’t any normal teaching going on. “You weren’t really treated as a student, despite coming in as a student. It was a very complicated situation,” she said.

The healthcare services faced immense pressure, but Ffion felt there were positives to take from the challenging situation. “I was able to manage my own caseload for the first time, so I was able to delegate. 

“My organisation and timing skills were greatly improved, and my confidence really improved as well because I was forced into that role with that extra responsibility,” she said.

Praise from the public

The heroic efforts of the emergency services have been celebrated across social media, in the press and on our doorsteps. Ffion said she loved the clapping on our doorsteps as it brought the nation together, but she thought the government needed to do more. “They were giving this on the surface ‘You’re lovely, there’s lots of praise for you but we’re not going to give you a pay rise’,” said Ffion.

They were giving this on the surface ‘You’re lovely, there’s lots of praise for you but we’re not going to give you a pay rise’

The Roath resident explained how the government using clapping as recognition affected her as a student. “‘We’ll clap you every Thursday night’, but I can’t pay back my student loan from that,” she said.

Praise from the public was enjoyed by nurses, but Ffion felt there is more pressure on nurses to be perfect. She also said many nurses are still struggling. She explained, “Although we are trying to support each other, it’s still going to take a while for us to fully recover mentally.”

Taking nursing online

To share her experience as a nurse, Ffion has created the @TheWelshNurse_ Instagram account. She said she wanted to create a community to support others through a challenging degree and profession. On her page, she informs her followers about neurosurgery, shares her experience on the ward, and gives tips on how to wind down after a stressful shift.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by #HelloMyNameIs Ffion (@thewelshnurse_)

Reflecting on how her life has changed, the newly qualified nurse said, “Pre-pandemic Ffion and post-pandemic Ffion are like two different people.

“I’ve grown in confidence in myself, I know what I want and I’m more assertive. I’m definitely going to carry that through my nursing career and beyond.”

Looking to the future, Ffion has goals for her personal life and her nursing career. She said she wanted to go out again, make memories with friends and family, and book a holiday. “That’s all I want,” she exclaimed. 

She said her career aspirations are to climb the ladder becoming a clinical nurse specialist and to start a doctorate in nursing. She said, “I’ve got lots of goals in my head. I’m just trying to figure out neurosurgery first and go from there.”

Ffion's five things every nurse needs

1. Pocket notebook - to make a note of anything you want to research later in your spare time. Healthcare is always evolving and nurses come across something new all the time
2. Reflection notebook - to reflect on past experiences to improve future practice. This is a part of CPD training
3. Fob watch - to always keep track of the time when your shift gets busy
4. Different colour pens - to differentiate the changes to your patient’s care plan
5. Compassion - ultimately, you need to have a compassionate heart to build that nurse-patient relationship
Tags
interviewnursenursingpandemicsocialmedia
Megan Gaen
Megan Gaen is a trainee journalist on the MA Magazine Journalism course at Cardiff University and Lifestyle and Opinion Editor at The Hysteria Collective. She specialises in lifestyle articles, in particular the promotion of midsize fashion and body positivity. She also writes news, opinion and features.
Related
No logo

‘You find somewhere so comfortable and find friends that make you feel like you belong’

Previous Lettings agent starts up own company with a difference just before Covid-19
Next From putting on 15 events per month to live streaming DJ sets from his bedroom
AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
Loneliness can be as dangerous to health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, and 70% of 16-24 year olds report they feel lonely often or very often.Wales has a strong choral tradition that dates back to communities of industrial workers who found camaraderie in singing. Choirs for Good won the Welsh wellbeing award this November, suggesting the answer to gen Z’s loneliness epidemic could be found in Welsh history booksWant to know more? Read our article on the alt.cardiff website#loneliness #altcardiffreports #choirs #cymru Feature by: @readevacahill ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff is in Wales.

5 months ago

AltCardiff
Now, more than ever, fast fashion needs to slow down. Could rental fashion be the answer this Christmas? 🎄Feature by @lois.journo#SustainableFashion #Cardiff #Christmas ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
Cardiff is trialling a new food scheme to help people facing financial difficulties access local organic produce. While this is a great way of exposing more people to fresh local food from @cardifffarmersmarket farmers are concerned that Planet Card holders are often disconnected from real food and don’t know how to make the most of their produce.Busy stall holders tell us they often have to make time to explain what they’re selling and provide cooking suggestions to people in the scheme#.Perhaps financial aid isn’t everything, and more time and funding should be spent on educating people about the importance of shopping locally. To read more visit the long reads section on the alt.Cardiff website. #cardifffarmersmarket #cardifffoodie #sustainablecardiff #shoplocally #cardiffjournalism ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
The first wellbeing village for Cardiff has been approved for construction, and the people of Ely aren’t happy.Despite anger from residents regarding traffic concerns, on 7 November, Cardiff planning committee approved the plans. Council meetings enabled locals to voice their concerns, but people felt ignored.The site is set to begin construction in the Autumn of 2025, bringing 200+ homes to the area.Click the link in the bio to check out the website, and give the story a read.#Ely #housing #traffic #estate ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
In the wake of the damage caused by Storm Bert in November and the threat further flooding poses to south Wales, communities in Cardiff are taking action. Using the power of collective action, local community groups aim to tackle climate change and raise awareness.To find out more, read the full article on the alt.cardiff website.#climatechange #CommunityAction #Flooding #altcardiffreports ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
Clubbing could be extinct by 2029, according to a @ntiaofficial survey. But what can we do to tackle this rapid decline? We spoke to leading industry professionals about the need for nightlife to evolve for new music audiences. Read our latest feature article by following the link in our bio, which includes insight from some of Cardiff’s most exciting DJs @palmermolly and @_sarah_sweeney, with expertise from recently closed venue @themooncardiff 🎶Words: @alanyajourno #altcardiff #music #nightclub #clubbing #cardiff ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
With Christmas approaching, these sessions will be more vital than ever for the homeless and who have gone through homelessness. Cardiff reported to have the highest number of people assessed as homeless. Choir with No Name brings the volunteers together to forget about the hardships of homelessness for a couple of hours.Choir with No Name will hold their first Christmas gig on 10 December at St John The Baptist City Parish Church in Cardiff city centre.According to Statistics Wales, Cardiff reported to have 1,788 households assessed as homeless. The report also showed that in Wales, 91.0 cases per 10,000 households were assessed as homeless in 2022-23. There is an increase on the rate of almost 85 cases per 10,000 households reported in 2021-22.Do read the latest story in the long reads section on the Alt.Cardiff website.Written by: @maleeha.s.journo #choirwithnoname #choirwithnonamecardiff #homelessness #singing #homelesschoir #christmasgig ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
A growing number of women are choosing singlehood over marriage, but according to recent data this could put them at greater risk of experiencing loneliness. Offering a different type of long-term companionship, communal living could hold some of the answers - helping to foster a sense of purpose and belonging. But is this lifestyle a fix for everyone? Read more on the Alt.Cardiff website ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
As we head into winter and the weather gets colder, many of us are reaching for our thermostats to stay cosy and warm. Yet, some of us are also opting to avoid the thermostat due to worries over energy prices. In this article we speak to Wales’ unpaid carers about the struggles they are facing and why they are choosing to avoid the thermostat and keep the costs down this winter. ❄️ 🌡️🏠#altcardiffreports #unpaidcarers #energyprices ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

AltCardiff

5 months ago

AltCardiff
After Storm Darragh caused flooding and strong winds across Wales. Welsh creatives talk about how they are approaching the climate crisis creatively. We spoke to three authors who are going beyond the statistics to explore their personal connections with nature and the beauty of wildlife.🗻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿📖 Read more on the Alt.Cardiff website now! #altcardiff #cardiffcreatives #localartists #ClimateAction #climatechange ... See MoreSee Less

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

About Us

  • About Alt.Cardiff
  • Contact
  • Magazine
  • Podcasts
  • Top stories from Alt.Cardiff
Copyright: James Taylor
  • Social Life
  • Work Life
  • Active Life
  • Public Life
  • Long Reads
  • Magazine
  • Podcasts
Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close
food Cardiff charity Art culture
See all results