Student Ismat steps back into Royal Preston Hospital to help Covid-19 crisis

Ismat Khan, from Preston, returned to the city's Royal Preston Hospital, where she had done her work placement, to care for patients with symptoms of COVID-19.

The 19-year-old was among 40,000 student healthcare workers, including students nurses, midwives, paramedics, radiographers and more signed up to go back and many of them have gone onto the front line of healthcare for the first time.

Students had a choice as to whether or not to volunteer to go back on placement and some were not able to because they were shielding themselves or their loved ones.

Ismat's parents had serious reservations and were worried about her going back into the hospital environment but she managed to to convince them that it was a cause she wanted to take on- and she wanted to make a difference.

The University of Cumbria student has spent much of her time on chest and abdomen x-rays checking for signs and effects of COVID. and said: "The other day, I got fit-tested which was pretty interesting and also scary as you get a mask put on and they almost put like a beekeeper mask on top and spray this kind of bitter spray."

She added: "I was in theatre and I had my FFP3 mask, I had a visor, a lead gown and had gloves on. It got really hot and really sweaty, especially with the lead gown, my back was sore within half an hour. It was painful but you don’t really notice it until after you take them off"

Speaking about COVID Ismat said; "When you experience COVID and you see patients suffering with it, that’s when it hits you. Obviously I was scared and my parents were both really, really scared. But when I spoke to them, they came round and really understood that I was passionate about it and this was something I really, really wanted to take on."

In a video piece, featured on BBC national news and online, Ismat is seen in the radiography suite demonstrating equipment and performing a mask-fit test which checks the validity of PPE.

Ismat’s video diary appeared alongside three other student healthcare workers, two student nurses and a dietitian from across the country who all recounted their experiences of returning to placement.

All the students featured have won places on the Council of Deans for Health UK Student Leadership programme, which coaches and develops the healthcare leaders of the future.

There are plans in the pipeline to follow up with the students in a longer documentary.