Covid-19 diaries from the respiratory unit: entry 5
"We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us." - Jo Cox MP
In this diary entry, consultant Nashaba Matin provides her thoughts as a non-respiratory physician warmly welcomed into the dept. of ‘covidology’.
A large part of March was spent preparing my own department in HIV medicine for the redeployment of many team members to respond to staffing needs elsewhere.
I have been humbled by the can-do spirit of my colleagues this last few weeks and will be ever grateful for the courtesy of our patients as we all implemented a new way of delivering the service at break neck speed.
As a civilian - it may be the closest experience I get to preparing for battle.
The feeling at the beginning was of a team raring to ‘get stuck in’ – if we had to face this enemy – then lets get on with it and get past it.
My first week on Covid take was breathtakingly busy. The nurses on ward 13C (usually vascular nurses) were amazing, full of compassion and humour even under so much strain.
In fact – I must say the team spirit in the hospital of late has been wonderful – everyone pulling together to defeat a common enemy - we are a truly formidable force when we harness our collective power.
The Covid rotas felt like a throw back to the old days when we had more of a medical ‘firm’– and the team cohesion felt very strong indeed.
No one would advocate going back to the long hours we used to work in the old days – but the cohesive team provided continuity and much needed support for juniors and middle grades colleagues. Something for us senior clinicians, educational supervisors to reflect upon in the future.
I won’t sugar coat it folks – there were bad days and scary moments. I had to stop watching the news to manage my own fears and anxiety. Every time an NHS colleague succumbed to Covid my own family went into mini melt-down of anxiety about my safety at work.
Covid fatigue is beginning to set in and I miss my colleagues in my department and my patients.
I have learnt many new things doing covidology – like exactly what and when to use optilfow versus CPAP and the difference between IPAP and EPAP (but please don’t test me on this one!). Also that rota writing is an art in itself – and one day if I could design a program to do this for us easily – I could make my first million!
I have also learnt that the respiratory team is blessed with some master bakers. The amazing baked goods from the respiratory team - Heike, Veronica and Stephanie and their children - you are all baking legends - will stay with me as a fond memory.
And also a reminder that however much fatigue, trauma and grief we feel during covid – things can always feel a tiny bit better with a kind word, cup of tea and a slice of cake.
Have a restful bank holiday weekend and enjoy VE day celebrations. Rum was part of the WW2 rations for British soldiers - and so my recipe is for a classic daiquiri. My tip – add a little chilli to spice it up!
Stay well and stay safe x