Volunteering during a pandemic

Flu clinics in London

As a part of my course, I attend once weekly placements at a GP practice where I have seen first-hand how busy the staff is. In November 2020, I asked the GP partner at my practice whether I could help with administering the flu vaccines and my offer was met with gratitude as that meant that the nurses could focus on the other routine procedures. It was my first own clinic ever so I was very excited too. My flu clinics ran 2-3 times a week for one month. Some days were busier than others and on the days with fewer patients coming in, I had time to write my essays (I had deadlines coming up). Though I always returned home exhausted, these clinics made me feel proud that I had done something helpful that day. Besides, the GP practice environment gave me a feeling of “normality”. It did not matter whether there is a pandemic or not, the receptionists still smiled at me, the doctors were still working overtime and the patients still sat in the waiting rooms. And hence, I could forget for a moment that England was under lockdown.

Covid ward in Prague

In December, I came back to Prague for Christmas. Shortly after I returned, it was becoming clear that I would stay home for longer than planned. After my January deadline, I decided to look for a volunteering opportunity here in Prague too. The first place to reply to my email was Nemocnice Milosrdných sester sv. Karla Boromejského v Praze (Hospital of the Merciful Sisters of St. Karel Boromejský in Prague), where within a week I started volunteering at the covid ward. Until then, I had not caught Covid-19, however the feeling of a moral duty was stronger than my fear of this infection. Additionally, my parents were fully supportive of my decisions for which I am very grateful for. On the ward, I helped the nurses and the housekeeping staff which was a completely different role to the one I am used to as a medical student. Everyone was incredibly nice to me and patiently showed me how things are done so I could learn new skills. What I enjoyed the most though, was talking to patients. I saw a range of consequences of Covid-19 and I am coming to a conclusion that this virus should definitely not be taken lightly. This volunteering activity was my first placement at a Czech hospital since I had started studying medicine. I was pleasantly surprised that hospitals in the Czech republic do not differ from the English ones much and therefore, when I eventually come back, it will not be too much of a shock J

Greetings from a covid ward!