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
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.
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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.
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