The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dundee student nurses answer call to take on frontline duties
Student nurses across Dundee have answered the call to go to work on the frontline during the coronavirus crisis.
Health bosses have appealed to trainees in their final year of study to don their scrubs early and finish their qualification in the hospital due to the level of demand expected when cases of Covid-19 spike.
Rachel Conroy, who was preparing for the final six months of her degree when the virus became a global pandemic, said: “It has been a strange and hard couple of weeks.
“A few days ago I had to make the decision to put my son to stay with his gran and granddad where I can’t go back and forward seeing him because of the risk with work.
“Working my shift on Thursday night and hearing the clapping from outside, alongside watching all the videos, was nothing short of amazing. “It certainly lifted the mood of staff. “I have now had it confirmed that as of this week I, with others who are willing from my class, will qualify six months early to help the NHS.
“It’s scary, but we are more than ready.”
It was announced last week student nurses who step on to the front line in short-staffed hospitals to help cope with the growing number of coronavirus cases will be paid.
Ashley Bonini, a mental health nursing student, said: “I feel very honoured to be asked to step up and help the NHS in this pandemic, changing the path of what we thought we would be doing until the end of August.
“I’m naturally nervous about this but we will all do amazingly.
“Massive thanks to our lecturers also – they have been fantastic. We’re all ready and reporting for duty.”
Logan Tyler a mature student nurse, added: “I have officially opted in to complete my studies while doing a six-month placement as an NHS employee.
“The 2017 nursing cohort have been asked to join the fight against Covid-19 and are answering the call.
“I am proud of every one of us and all the essential workers continuing on throughout this unprecedented situation.”