Pandemic Placement: Linzi reflects as a Mental Health Nursing student

Mental Health Nursing student, Linzi Morgan, blogs about her time spent on placement during the Covid-19 pandemic:

I’m currently 9 weeks into a 13-week placement, my last placement of 2nd year of Abertay’s Mental Health Nursing course. 4 weeks left and I’m in 3rd year!

It’s hard to say this in such a challenging environment, but time really does fly when you’re having fun!

When I began my journey to follow my dreams of becoming a Mental Health Nurse, I knew it would most likely be a hard road ahead.

Not only was I mature student who was out of education for a long time, I was a mother, a wife, and an employee with a home to keep…I knew all of this would have an impact on my quest!

However, what nobody anticipated was a pandemic to be included along the way.

Covid-19 disrupted, restricted, and impacted on my day to day life (as it did for everyone), but also on my studies and placements. Students were pulled from placements and classrooms, and doubt was cast over it all. However, like the nation did, Abertay University adapted and overcame these hurdles…classes become online learning and time missed on placements were to be made up and slotted into the timetables to ensure we continued to qualify on time.

Going back into placement was daunting.

With new rules, restrictions and but also a time to be proud that I could contribute to helping the nurses who would become our heroes!

As a student nurse, my safety has been a priority and my learning has been uncompromised.

Throughout each placement of 2nd year (to which there is 3) I have been able to watch how strong nurses are and how well they adapt and overcome the crazy situations thrown at them.

Dealing with this whilst STILL continuing to make sure they’re able to teach students show just how talented and incredible they really are to us all.

I have worked shifts alongside nurses wearing full PPE, visors, goggles and taking Covid swabs while still being able to maintain a high standard of person-centred care - which remains priority - and I have loved every minute of it!!

As for my day to day life as a wife, mother, and employee, it has not been as affected as I assumed it would be.

As people, we nurses learn to adapt and overcome obstacles… something we’ve all proved that we can do during this crisis.

We make it work.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Nothing is impossible.

If we dream big, we aim big.

My advice for anyone thinking of a career in Mental Health Nursing but are worried about fitting life in and managing it all, would be to GO FOR IT!

You’ve been adapting on a monumental scale for the last 18 months.

Covid has brought obstacles to your life, but has shown you that you can adapt. And if you want to become a Mental Health Nurse, you can adapt to that too. In some ways, it might even be easier!

It's never too late and for me it has been worth every minute.

Abertay university will guide you, support you and champion you all the way!

For those who may be interested in studying Mental Health Nursing at Abertay University, information on the course can be found here.