This year was challenging for all of us – but the NHS workers were on the front line battling the COVID-19. I’ve talked to Navandeep who works as a Maternity Care Assistant in a maternity ward in Leicester.
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To find out more about a career in the NHS, please search ‘NHS Careers’or visit ‘We Are The NHS’ to find available roles and training support on offer #WearetheNHS [This blog is created in a partnership with the NHS] |
Q: Why did you start working for NHS / in the maternity care?
A: I got inspired to start working for the NHS as I grew up in a really loving family environment, so I have naturally always been someone who wants to care for others. I used to work for a school where I would look after children who were disabled and needed round the clock care. I loved working in this role and supporting these children and giving them the best care that they needed. My first job within the NHS was actually working in Children’s A&E and I really loved this role and as part of this I got to work with women who were coming in with their babies and needed assistance with their breastfeeding. This got me really interested in maternity care and so I started as a maternity care assistant in February. That’s the great thing about being a healthcare assistant and working in the NHS in general, there are so many roles that you can progress into and if you are passionate about a certain area of care then you can focus and specialise in that.
Q: Could you please describe how your daily work routine has changed since the pandemic started? What was the most challenging part for you?
A: Well as I started working in my current role in February I was only really working for about four weeks in this new role before the pandemic hit. I think the most challenging part was having to adapt to a new environment when I was already new, so getting an understanding of new processes and obstetric terminology was tough, especially as new Covid-19 policies were introduced. However, I work with such a great team who are so supportive and adapted really quickly to the new changes, so I quickly adapted as well.
Q: How has COVID-19 influenced the NHS maternity care in the UK, from your point of view: both as maternity care assistant and as a pregnant woman yourself?
A: The care we provide patients has never changed, even during the pandemic, as we always provide the highest quality of care and support. We know that giving birth during COVID-19 can be scary for women and they’re having to have reduced hours with their family, but we have really stepped forward and taken it upon ourselves to provide that extra level of reassurance and support to those that need it most.
Q: How would you describe the work NHS has carried out during the pandemic? It was no doubt hard and challenging but maybe it was inspirational too?
A: As a pregnant woman myself, having gone through the pandemic and seeing how well the staff members have coped with it it’s actually really reassuring to see. Everyone has worked so hard and I think have been amazing, supportive, caring and understanding towards patients at a difficult time. Being pregnant myself it’s also really reassuring to see how quickly the staff have pulled together and supported each other. It’s been an eye-opening time but has also given us a chance to realise just how important all our roles are – what we do matters. Being part of such an intimate moment as childbirth during that time was also really special.
Q: Could you please share the most uplifting memory from your work throughout the pandemic?
A: Being part of this ‘We are the NHS’ campaign has been really uplifting and for healthcare support worker roles to be highlighted as the dynamic, stimulating and rewarding careers that they are. In terms of patient care I think one of my most uplifting moments was when I ended up being a birthing partner for a lady whose husband couldn’t get to the hospital in time. The lady could only really speak Punjabi and I am fluent in it so I was able to be a really reassuring support for her and explain everything that was happening. She was so grateful to have me there with her and it was an incredibly special moment.
Hope you enjoyed my last blog of 2020!
Happy New Year!
Yours,
Anna
xxx