Laura and Sarah started their secondment as band 6s early in 2020. Not long into their journey in a new role and a newly established ward and team COVID-19 hit. They were asked to uproot and move to F22, the first COVID ward which then turned into the end-of-life ward. They made the decision to stick together and go and support these vulnerable patients and a new team on F22 without a second thought. Sarah, having young children, had to say goodbye to them at the start to protect them, which was extremely hard, but she continued to work hard to support the vulnerable patients.
Throughout it all, I kept in touch with them and I am so proud of them both for how they dealt with the pandemic and the compassion they showed their patients and family. They absolutely went above and beyond in their new role to ensure their patients and their families had the best care and support possible. All this whilst doing a completely new job role! They and the team should be proud of what they achieved for their patients and families.
Since returning to C24 I have noticed how much they have developed, turning what could have been a sad experience into a positive. Their confidence has grown, and they have become skilled band 6's in such a short space of time. It is great to see them shine in their comfort zone. They are a friendly, approachable face for the team and overall extraordinary people not just nurses!