‘Working while fasting is tiring but so rewarding’
HEALTHCARE ASSISTANT DETAILS A DAY IN HER LIFE AS LOCAL HOSPITAL KEY WORKER
A TYPICAL night shift for me starts when I wake up for work in the early evening.
I get ready for work that starts at 7:30 pm. We sit in the seminar room where we get our allocations and find out where in the Emergency Department we will be working that day. Then I head up to the department floor. I listen to the hand-over, get an understanding of my patients, and look at what needs to be done.
I let the area coordinator know now that I am fasting. When it comes to maghrib time (the prayer after which Muslims observing Ramadan break their fast), I take some time out and break my fast with some dates and water.
I then head back to work. I do observations, where I take a patient’s vitals, carry out personal care, and do any other tasks that need doing. This usually includes doing ECGs, taking blood, and putting in cannulas, as well as swabbing patients for Covid-19.
At 10:30pm, I go for my first break when I can finally have my meal. I like to have the same food for iftar as my family so it still feels like we are together as much as possible, so I pack dinner from home. I sit in the staff room with everyone else, where so many others are having their own meals too. Non-Muslim staff members are very supportive, and this time encourages discussion about faith.
By the time my second break comes around, it is time for sehri (the pre-dawn meal before fasting begins). I have something to eat and drink before I begin fasting again, and if I have time, I have a nap, until it is time to go back to work.
The last part of the day is usually the hardest. I am fasting by now, so if I do get thirsty again, I know I cannot eat or drink anything until the evening.
Around 5am, I start the daily checks. I confirm that all the trolleys are stocked up for the day staff, replace sharps bins, and review oxygen and suction in all patient bays to make sure they are working well. I then calibrate the blood glucose machines so that they are ready to be used again. The last few hours are usually the toughest since I start to get tired, and am definitely thirsty by then.
I power through and continue with my tasks, ready to put away our devices at 7:30am for hand-over to the day team and then leave to go home. I catch a bus, which isn’t too bad normally, but can be tiring on these days when all you want to do is get home as soon as possible. Once back, I get changed from my work uniform and get ready for bed.
The days go a lot better than you expect. There are a lot of Muslim staff members, so everyone knows about Ramadan, and there are a lot of people in the same boat as you, almost making it feel like you have a community with you. It is definitely difficult, as you are more tired. You have less energy, which can definitely leave you with less patience and tolerance for stress.
I didn’t really know what to expect as I had never worked during Ramadan before, but I definitely thought it would be a lot harder than this. I also didn’t expect other staff to be so accommodating, and quickly realised that I and my peers had a lot more support than I initially believed.
For me, Ramadan is not only a time where we are abstaining from food and drink, but it is also when we should improve on our faith. I try to refrain from bad habits and attempt to learn more about my religion and be a better person.
I think that working in an environment where you are helping others constantly, caring for people in the absence of their own family members, makes this easier for me, and brings more meaning to Ramadan for me. It can be exhausting, but so incredibly rewarding. n Ruqayah secured her role at her local hospital after completing the Prince’s Trust’s Get Started in Health and Social Care online mentoring programme last year. To find out about working in the NHS, visit the Prince’s Trust website at www. princes-trust.org.uk or call 0800 842 842.