NHS Nightingale Reflection (Mental Health Awareness Week)

It’s not every day you get the opportunity to join the front-line to fight COVID-19. I’m so grateful to have been a part of NHS Nightingale London. It was a great pleasure to have worked with so many incredible people and despite the tough 12.5-hour day and night shifts in full PPE, it was an amazing experience and opportunity! But it came with its challenges…

I started to struggle with sleep and nightmares, that rattled me awake drenched in sweat. My dreams were vividly realistic of my time in ICU and of the patients who were under our care. I honestly thought to myself I was completely fine, I believed I was totally fine, but my dreams clearly told me otherwise. I was exposed to death and severe illness but did not give myself time to process this after each shift.

Come Tuesday 5th May 2020, NHS Nightingale discharged their last patient. It was a moment of celebration and sadness due to the abrupt end. I decided to remain at the hotel where I had been staying during my redeployment and get my COVID-19 swab done before returning home to my family. My routine changed once again. I had no shifts to look forward too, my friends and colleagues started to leave for home, and I felt very alone as I nervously waited for my swab results.

On Thursday 7th, I felt very low, alone and lost and I broke down and burst into tears. I messaged few people seeking support as I had tears rolling down my face. Special shout out to some of my work colleagues - Nataly Figueroa, Ekta Shah and Mandeep Ranger, who all called me that evening offering support and a ‘virtual’ shoulder to lean on. And many thanks to those in my church family who kept and uplifted me in prayer throughout my time at Nightingale.

I was later sent some well-being support contact information, including a staff support helpline number at my NHS Trust. Initially I was very apprehensive to call but decided to give the helpline a go. I had the great pleasure to speak to Claire Schneider, a Mental Health First Aider who offered a listening ear and helped me break down and process my time at Nightingale.

I want to conclude and say, my time at Nightingale made me realise how important is it to look after oneself, look out for your own well-being and mental health. It highlighted the importance of being able to debrief following a tough shift and even a good one. There is no shame in seeking support from family, friends and professionals.

Everyone has mental health, just like everyone has physical health – it is normal, and we need to take good care of it. We need to break down and stamp out the social stigma attached to mental health. We can do this by openly and honestly talking about mental health, choosing empowerment over shame and show compassion with those with mental illnesses.

It’s time to change. It’s time to talk…

• Stephan Amaranath (Clinical Support Worker at NHS Nightingale but usually a Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner at Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust)