Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
EARN, LEARN, AND CARE
TAKING care of others is second nature to Naomi Dardai, so it is no surprise she is hoping to be a nurse.
Not wanting to do a degree, and knowing she learns better when working, 20-year-old Naomi, from Norwich, started out as a healthcare assistant at a busy local hospital – in the first weeks of the pandemic.
What are you doing?
I work on the cardiology ward at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. I am on hand to help and support patients however they need it, whether it is having a wash, getting their meals, checking blood pressure or just making sure they are comfortable.
Nothing beats that feeling when you finish a shift and know that you have helped someone. I had a week off recently and when I came back some patients had missed me, which was amazing.
I aim to be positive and cheerful at all times and I think the patients like that.
How long have you been doing the job?
I started work in the very first weeks of the pandemic last March. I was on a respiratory ward, right on the front line, at the deep end, along with all my colleagues.
There was so much we didn’t know but I felt that all I could do was make sure I cared for every patient as best I could.
In the very early days it was particularly frightening. We had one patient who was waiting for a Covid test result and no one could go in to see him. I volunteered to be at his side with a phone so he could speak with a doctor. He tested positive later in the day. It was hard for me but so much harder for the patient.
How did you get the job?
Taking care of people has always been second nature to me.
My family laughs that I am always the one wanting to make sure everyone is OK.
After school I knew I wanted to have a caring job of some sort but knew I didn’t want to be a doctor.
I wasn’t sure how to go about finding the right thing but someone suggested I do a health and social care BTEC at college. As soon as I started the course, I knew it was right for me. Everything I studied, from patient care to sociology, was so interesting. I graduated last spring and was able to go straight into work.
Initially I was on the bank, filling in at the hospital where necessary and with the pandemic there was never a shortage of work. Last November I was taken on permanently.
Is the work hard?
I get such joy from helping people but there have been dark times and it can be exhausting too. Thankfully I can go home to my parents and sister and switch off.
The amazing and selfless people I work with have also helped me grow and taught me so many things as well. They always help and support me and are an inspiration. They have shown me what teamwork really means.
The people I work with are inspiring and show what teamwork really is
What next?
I have realised that I learn best when I am working and applying the skills I need.
With that in mind, I have applied through my hospital for a nursing apprenticeship. If accepted I then start to go through the various training steps to become a nurse while still working on the wards.