'I was scared about going to work in Covid-19 assessment unit but I'm really enjoying it'
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Lesley Campbell admits she felt uneasy about the prospect of starting work in Wick's Covid-19 community assessment unit.
But one shift as assessment nurse was enough to convince her that she had done the right thing after making a temporary switch from her role in health improvement.
And now she has been praised by a senior NHS Highland official as "an inspiration to others" for her level of commitment.
Lesley (37) is one of a number of staff within the region's health service who have willingly embraced new roles to support the work going on in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Normally she is health improvement co-ordinator in NHS Highland's Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service and a practice education facilitator covering Caithness and the north coast of Sutherland. However, following the social distancing and lockdown guidance, Lesley found that much of her standard work was postponed.
Keen to help out, she contacted local teams to see how she could support the Covid-19 effort.
“I spoke to the team behind the community assessment centre in Caithness and they detailed the roles that were available," Lesley explained. "I was initially anxious as it would mean a big change from what I was used to doing.
"I knew I needed to do something to help but the assessment centre felt like stepping onto the front line.
"I was scared for my own health, my family’s health and for the people I would be looking after, and I was questioning whether I had enough knowledge or skill to be useful in primary care.
“However, after my first shift I realised that with a bit of knowledge refreshing I was capable of fulfilling the role of the assessment nurse. This involves recording and monitoring vital signs and working with the decision-makers to develop a treatment plan for anyone attending the centre for assessment with symptoms of coronavirus.”
I knew I needed to do something to help but the assessment centre felt like stepping onto the front line.
Lesley, who has worked with NHS Highland since she qualified in 2003 after studying as a mental health nurse, returned home to Caithness 12 years ago after initially working at New Craigs hospital in Inverness.
She says the biggest challenge in working at the assessment centre has been trying to set up standard work processes, particularly when advice changes as more is learned about the virus. The centre has professionals from a number of departments and often they are only in once or twice a week, or less frequently.
With two working in the centre full-time, keeping up to date and discussing the implications of changes with staff relies on a range of communication tools which the team are developing and adapting week by week.
Lesley said: “I am really enjoying working in the centre. I’m working with a great multidisciplinary team. I’m able to use a number of transferable skills and this has allowed me to develop communication tools, write rotas and support staff development.
"I think as professionals and sometimes specialists we forget that we can refresh our basic skills and leap out of our comfort zones to learn something new. It is actually very refreshing and great for mental wellbeing.
“What I’ve found with the new role is how proud I am to wear the uniform. As a mental health nurse I never wore a uniform when I qualified, nor do we now in the community. I think there’s a feeling of team identity and belonging with a uniform.
“When I told my family, friends and colleagues about going to work at the centre, many of them said I would end up wanting to retrain as a general nurse. I enjoy learning and studying but I would never have agreed with that statement.
"I’ve always been proud of my mental health nursing background and the role models I’ve had over the years. I’m not sure I will actually retrain. However, it is tempting!”
Lesley is an inspiration to others – we very much appreciate her commitment and sacrifice.
NHS Highland chief officer David Park said: “NHS Highland is extremely grateful to all of our colleagues in responding to the Covid-19 pandemic. This, in some cases, has involved making changes to roles, practice and location.
"Lesley is a great example of this and an inspiration to others. We very much appreciate her commitment and sacrifice in serving her local community in this way.”
