Army surgeon Tom dons his scrubs and helps our nurses in ITU
Tom Konig is a Consultant Vascular and Trauma Surgeon at The Royal London Hospital, he also serves as a regular Army officer, and a surgeon in the Army.
Tom works in big multidisciplinary team, that look after vascular patients and the trauma patients. Tom shares with us why, he decided to dedicate some of his time to support ITU nurses and take on the role of a Health Care Assistant. He said: “The email asking for assistance resonated with me.
“We were reminded of the human cost of those suffering and dying, and the efforts of a workforce that have worked tirelessly over the last year to care for Covid patients in the first wave.
“My great grandfather returned from world war one only to die of the Spanish Flu over a hundred years ago. I’ve just returned from deployment and really wanted to get stuck in and help.
“The military breaks down those barriers, when we work in small teams and have to set up medical treatment facilities, every person has to muck in and do their bit otherwise we can’t be ready to receive casualties and care for them.
“I’m beginning to wonder whether this pandemic is a little bit like the NHS’ war.”
Tom explained that in the military they have experience of conflicts, but these were in far-away places.
“The hospitals in London and other cities in the UK dealt with huge numbers of injured during the blitz and huge efforts were made to care and transfer patients. This is becoming a similar situation”, Tom said.
“There is also a risk that the second wave simply becomes the new normal and the support that was seen during the first wave is lost. What we are having to deal with now is not normal and hopefully it will be over soon and we can get back to normal life and work.”
Tom worked as a junior doctor in the old Royal London hospitals ITU around 20 years ago and shares he still knows a number of the ITU doctors and nurses.
“The first shift was daunting to say the least. It’s one thing to have our own ITU patients that we would normally visit once a day, but it’s quite something else to assist in their care for a 12 hour period.
“The other consultants and I learnt a huge amount and have nothing but admiration for the wonderful efforts to provide high quality care by all.
“There was such attention to detail and the professionalism was phenomenal.
“Remaining on your feet for hours on end, ensuring observations are taken and recorded, bloods tested, results actioned, infusions prepared, patients cleaned, washed and cared for, rolled and proned, all takes time and effort.
“One of our senior surgeons simply held the hand of an awake patient while they struggled to return to normal after extubation, this image will stay with me for a long time.”
Tom shared that everyone on the ward was willing and happy to help each other, “There was a palpable sense of team effort”, he said.
“The teams have consisted of ITU, ED and ward nurses, Operating Department Practitioners, Physicians assistants and other doctors from a wide variety of specialties.
“It’s a little bit like the small boats of the south coast, that ventured across the channel to rescues the encircled British Expeditionary Force during the retreat from Dunkirk.
“We are all in this together.”
When asked about the support he received,Tom said: “Everyone has leaned in and shown incredible generosity with their time and effort to care for those suffering.
“Volunteering in the ITU’s or anywhere you don’t normally work, helps with the wider effort to beat this virus and win this battle.
“It is also an incredibly uplifting experience and I would urge you all to put on your scrubs, don your PPE and get stuck in.”
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