To mark International Day of the Nurse, Excellence in Care’s Judy Sinclair tells us how working in NHS Orkney’s COVID assessment centre has been a kind of homecoming.

Orkney’s not a big place. When I returned to my home board from my secondment with Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Excellence in Care team to help with the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew that among all the unknowns about the virus and how we were going to deal with it, there was one sure thing: the support of the teams I’d be working with.

I’ve spent most my career as a nurse on Orkney. And while I do a few “back to the floor” shifts annually, going back to work in NHS Orkney’s COVID assessment centre felt slightly daunting. I was concerned I wouldn’t be an asset to the team and be able to hit the ground running. I needn’t have worried.

“When I returned to my home board from my secondment with Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Excellence in Care team to help with the COVID-19 pandemic, I knew that among all the unknowns about the virus and how we were going to deal with it, there was one sure thing: the support of the teams I’d be working with.”

The assessment centre is housed in a building that’s very familiar to me: the old Balfour hospital site. NHS Orkney saw its spectacular new hospital, also called The Balfour, open in June 2019. The old site, which is next to the new one, was still empty when the pandemic started, and parts of it were re-opened to prepare for an increase in demand. This particular part had been my work ‘home’ for many years in my previous clinical roles, so it felt comfortable going back to the place I had nostalgically waved goodbye to just eight months previously.

Not only were the surroundings familiar, the team that was being assembled was, too: GPs and experienced nurses from a range backgrounds, most of whom I have worked with previously and know very well. This was a real bonus as we already knew each other’s strengths and ways of working, which helped as we began to set up the new processes and systems to welcome patients to the centre. Dental nurse colleagues joined us to make up the clinical team along with administrators, domestics and drivers, many of whom I knew but had never worked alongside.

I’ve always tried to keep up to date through reading and learning, so on the whole the transition was not nearly as bad as I first feared. I was concerned some of my technical skills might be a bit rusty, but I feel reassured and confident that with the support of colleagues, I’m brushing up fast as we refresh old skills and learn new ones together. 

“The return to shift work is challenging; getting used to night shifts again after a gap of 27 years was a quite a shock to the system. However, the camaraderie, encouragement and support from all colleagues – not to mention the cake – is fantastic and really appreciated as we settle into this new way of working.”

The assessment centre is where patients are triaged from 111 if they are experiencing symptoms of COVID. They are connected with a nurse or GP who will assess them and agree a plan by telephone, or Near Me or invited to attend the centre if any physical examination/observations are required.  Thankfully in Orkney we have not seen the sudden, rapid influx of very ill patients that other areas have seen which has given us time to be well prepared. At NHS Orkney, we’re already experienced in using remote solutions such as video conferencing – we have had to be as an island group – and using systems such as Microsoft Teams and Near Me has been really useful in reducing the number of face to face contacts with patients and other staff.

We’re working shifts of eight hours over a 24 hour period. This allows for as few people as possible to be in the centre at one time to ensure physical distancing. The return to shift work is challenging; getting used to night shifts again after a gap of 27 years was a quite a shock to the system. However, the camaraderie, encouragement and support from all colleagues – not to mention the cake – is fantastic and really appreciated as we settle into this new way of working. Orkney may not be big place, but it does have a big community spirit. Working in the centre as a nurse is truly enjoyable – it’s a job I love, providing care, support and advice to patients and as part of a team. That may seem strange, given the current crisis situation. While we hope none of our patients or staff to fall victim to this virus, my ultimate wish is that through these difficult times we will review, reflect and find new opportunities for an improved future for nursing and healthcare both locally and nationally.

Judy Sinclair is Excellence in Care Lead Nurse within Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

More information

Visit the Healthcare Improvement Scotland website for information on our response to COVID-19.