Jonathan is a BTEC National Health and Social Care student who’s been studying through the pandemic and is going on to do a degree in Parademic Science. Read his story!
What inspired you to pursue a career in Health and Social Care?
I’ve always found it rewarding to care for people, especially at such crucial times in their lives. There’s so much to learn and so many different roles to try.
Having over 400 hours of experience, in different healthcare settings, has given me the confidence to get a job in an area I am interested in. I’ve been on almost all the wards and worked with patients from their admission all the way up to their discharge and beyond. Having experienced and learnt so much along the way, it has given me a fantastic basis on which to start university.
BTEC Health and Social have given me a wide understanding of the healthcare sector.
What were your biggest challenges during the pandemic and how did you overcome them?
Previously, I have undertaken a Bank Nursing Assistant role at my local hospital, mainly working in A&E and the Acute Assessment Unit. However, this has been expanded to incorporate the demands of the pandemic. The pandemic has increased the amount of pressure that hospital departments face, in addition to large volumes of staff sickness and isolation due to symptoms.
I have taken on new roles as a Rehabilitation Assistant and Community Support Worker. I have been able to apply knowledge learnt on my BTEC course, especially the Promoting Public Health and Working in Health and Social Care models, to adapt to these new roles.
Firstly, as a Rehabilitation Assistant I have been supporting Occupation Therapists and Physiotherapists to discharge healthy patients from hospital. My work experience placement at college was situated next door in Surgical Therapies, so I was well versed and already experienced in the new role.
Subsequently, I worked as a Community Support Worker providing care and support to recently discharged patients.
Most recently, I have moved to the Medical Equipment Library, cleaning and maintaining specialist medical equipment needed on hospital wards.
As we move back to normal operations, I have returned to my job as a Nursing Assistant.
How has COVID impacted your studies this year?
The last four assignments were all completed whilst studying from home.
Despite this being challenging, having access to Pearson textbooks and other websites, such as anatomy websites, made self-learning much easier. These resources provided me with extra context to lessons and resources supplied to me by my tutors.
I have received frequent wellbeing checks from a dedicated team at my college. My BTEC tutors have also kept in contact via email and weekly video calls to ensure I was confident and up to date with the assignments.
My BTEC tutors have worked in many different healthcare settings from nursing to social work. This has provided them with the experience and knowledge to support my learning, thus preparing me for placements and my career beyond college.
What are your future career plans?
I have secured a place at the University of East Anglia to study Paramedic Science. Upon finishing this three-year course, I will be a fully qualified Paramedic.
Once qualified I will start by working on Ambulances. However, this career could take me onto Air Ambulances or into Hospitals working on A&E or Critical Care departments.
