“I’ve signed up to be a nurse, so this is what it is – to be at the forefront” – that’s the view from student nurse Sheila Nguna on the eve of the International Day of the Nurse (Tuesday 12 May).
Sheila, 47, a second year Teesside University nursing student, has agreed to work at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust supporting registered nurses experiencing increased workloads during the COVID-19 outbreak.
International Nurses day 2020
Hello, my name is Sheila Nguna. I’m a second year student nurse at Teesside University. I’ve come here and put myself forward to help. Because for people, if you don’t stay at home, our NHS will be struggling.
As a second year student we put our names forward to come and help, to ease this stress within the NHS. Thank you.
Talking about coming to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheila said: “It’s kind of scary working during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“But I’ve signed up to be a nurse, so this is what it is – to be at the forefront.
“All of our questions have been answered during our induction and I feel much more confident about working on the wards.”
Sheila expects to be working mainly in the stoke rehabilitation unit at the University Hospital of North Tees, gaining excellent first-hand nursing experience during the pandemic.
Asked about International Day of the Nurse 2020, Sheila commented: “It’s great to be part of a wider community of professionals. Nursing is a global community and I’m proud to count myself among such inspirational people.”
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust currently has 44 student nurses working on the wards to support the registered nurses during this unprecedented period.
Sheila has also lent her language skills to the Trust as part of a campaign to encourage people from communities whose first language is not English to continue to practice physical distancing and to stay safe. She recorded a special video message in her native language of Shona to be shared on the Trust’s social media accounts.