NEW healthcare graduates are being thrust onto the front line in the fight against coronavirus.
Several care assistants, nurses and paramedics earned their qualifications at South Eastern Regional College (SERC).
Others nearing their end of their courses are preparing to be fast-tracked into work.
SERC courses include the Level 3 national extended diploma in health and social care, which leads directly to careers in care establishments and as nursing assistants.
Lecturer Rosemary Peters also works part time in Greenvale House Nursing Home in Castlewellan and through a nursing agency at Belfast City Hospital.
This allows her to maintain her nursing registration and share her experience with students.
She said lecturers had heard from students already working or preparing to work including many who completed the BTEC in health studies.
Katie Lowry and Shannon Valentine are now second year nursing students at Ulster University Magee. Katie is working at the Covid-19 testing centre in Ards Hospital and Shannon is getting ready for placement on the wards. Megan Farrell is a first year student nurse, again preparing for placement.
Joshua Russell is a Band 3 Senior Health Care Assistant in Downe Hospital while Colm Davey is a final year paramedic working for Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.
Elsewhere, Matthew Carlin is a final year nursing student with Open University whose management placement is at the Covid-19 ward at Ulster Hospital.
Ms Peters said he would be fast-tracked through placement into work.
"The students are all filled with a degree of anxiety and excitement about their roles. They recognise they are all on a huge learning curve that will give them unprecedented experience of working on the front line during a pandemic," she said.
"They are getting fantastic support from everyone working in the NHS and are working with excellent teams.
"The students do call to get support, both emotional and professional. I suppose it is easier sometimes to talk to someone who knows and understands the implications of what is happening and how things can change in a moment. They all have families and some have children, so yes, they are concerned.
"Registered general nurses, including those preparing to commence their first posts, are having to accelerate their learning, on the job under what must be very challenging conditions to deal with patients requiring intensive levels of care that they may have to look after. The mentoring they would expect to receive at this early stage of their careers will be somewhat different from their predecessors."
Meanwhile, electrical installation lecturer Steven Donnelly has been praising students involved in trades, supporting the NHS.
"We have one young apprentice, Stanley Chapman from Holywood, who is a Level 3 electrical apprentice, who has been working with his employer, Omagh based MSL, at the Ulster Hospital for the duration of his apprenticeship over the last three years," he said.
"Stanley is dedicated to working as part of a team and will be delivering on 12-hour shifts. He is involved in the installation of the lighting system in the new part of the hospital as they work round the clock to get it ready for wards that will be required in the coming weeks. The work of this young man, and the many others like him, are making a real contribution to the fight against coronavirus through their skills and expertise."
