A-level results were out across the country today (Thursday 13 August), and, at an unprecedented time of uncertainty during the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re joining the NHS across London in encouraging them to consider a nursing career.

The pandemic has really put the hard work of the NHS into the spotlight as our teams have gone above and beyond to care for Covid-19 patients.

Among our hardworking staff delivering care during the pandemic are two trainee nurses; Lateef Jimoh and Tom Hill, who have both shared more information about their routes into nursing.

Lateef (pictured above) first joined our Trust as a healthcare assistant (HCA), before joining our Emergency Department (ED) as an accident department assistant, supporting our doctors and nurses with patient care.

Our Trust was the first to offer a trainee nursing associate apprenticeship, so Lateef enrolled, qualifying as a nursing associate in 2019. To progress his nursing career, he’s now studying a top-up apprenticeship degree to become a registered nurse.

He said: “Working under the supervision of a nurse, I’m learning how to manage patients, building on the skills I learnt as a nursing associate. I feel supported while training. My ED background meant I already understood some physiology. For example, if a diabetic patient becomes unwell I escalate to a nurse that we need to check their blood sugar level.”

On his apprenticeship placements so far, Lateef added: “I’ve completed vascular and orthopaedic placements where I’ve learned about dressings, fractures and more about diabetes. I was meant to then start my placement in intensive care (ITU), however with the outbreak of Covid-19 our placements were paused and I went back to work in ED. I’m really looking forward to starting my placement in ITU; as a nurse it’s important to know how drugs work in a body and, in ITU, I will learn more about that.”

For anyone considering a career in nursing, Lateef’s advice: “You have to be passionate. It can be a hard job, so you have to have that passion for people.

“When you look after a patient it’s the little things they say like, ‘thank you for everything you have done for me’. Or it’s seeing them smile after receiving treatment. It’s great.”

Tom on the other hand spent several years working as an electrician, before seeking out a career with more meaning. He’s currently training for his nursing degree apprenticeship.

He said: “I was a HCA in ED, looking out for something that could help me fulfil my potential. The nursing degree apprenticeship was a brilliant opportunity because not only did it give me the skills I needed to care for patients holistically, but being able to receive a wage whilst training meant I didn’t have to put my life on hold. It also gave me a lot of motivation knowing that the hospital were investing in me and gave me the boost I needed to do the best I could for myself and my team.”

Watch Tom talking about his career path below:

So if you, or someone you know, has just got your results and you’re considering your future, make sure you find out more about careers in the NHS. You can also check out current vacancies at our Trust in the work for us section.