By supporting Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals Charity you are helping the hardworking staff at our hospitals at any stage in their career. Recently the Charity helped to welcome student nurses, doing their placement at Harefield Hospital, by providing them with goodie bags and t-shirts. It was a challenging time due to the Covid-19 outbreak, but as many of you have experienced yourselves, our amazing staff at Harefield went above and beyond to welcome these students into the Harefield family. In her blog, Amandeep tells us about life as part of the team.

I am a third-year adult nursing student, who is currently on her final placement in the Acute Coronary Care Unit (ACCU) at Harefield Hospital.

Before I had even begun my placement or finished my second year of university, I had heard nothing but positive conversations concerning Harefield Hospital. Older nurses and students who had witnessed the atmosphere of the hospital discussed their experiences in amazement. Which meant that I had been incredibly excited when I was told I would be allocated at Harefield.

Unfortunately, due to COVID 19, I was told that my final placement at HDU in Harefield would be cancelled. I felt frustrated as I had been looking forward to working in such a great environment. My dream had been to work in a supportive atmosphere that specialised in the heart and lungs. Reading positive feedback on the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust website and hearing about it from multiple individuals, motivated me to work harder to gain an opportunity to work at the hospital.

On my last placement in April, with a different trust, the ward that I had been working at began shutting down due to COVID 19. My mentor and I were moved onto a different ward, and I remember feeling very confused and concerned about whether it would be a good idea to stay in the hospital as a student. I wasn’t sure whether I could balance working and living with my family. I was concerned like everyone around me, about the risk that I would bring to my father who had recently had a kidney transplant and my four-year-old daughter. It was a challenging decision that took a lot of thought, but I finally decided to opt-in. I remember filling the opt-in form and writing out in capital letters that I desired to work at Harefield Hospital. This was because I was hoping to be in an environment of care, support and encouragement through this tough period, which I knew Harefield would provide.

It was the best decision that I could have made. I have only been at the hospital for a short period of time, but I feel like I am already apart of the ACCU team. I am surrounded by considerate and helpful staff who are constantly asking whether I am unsure of anything.

As a student, I appreciate the support from the staff members who are always attempting to test my knowledge. I have never felt more valued by the practice educators within the trust. Their constant reassurance and approach make me feel like I can go to them without any fear of judgement. They are constantly arranging teaching sessions and sharing their knowledge with me. Therefore, I feel lucky to be part of the Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust and to be able to learn and gain knowledge about cardiology.

I thank the trust and the ACCU team for education and support.