Recognition of the Long Haul

Recognition of the Long Haul an Interview with Staff Nurse Teon Waithe from Barbados

What motivated you to become a nurse?
I believe that nursing was chosen for me, I see it as my vocation. I honestly cannot imagine doing anything else. At age 16 was the first time I recognised my desire to become a nurse. I am the oldest of five children and my mum was self-employed and travelled a lot, leaving me in charge of my younger siblings. I had to especially care for my two youngest siblings as they were just toddlers. I was the mother figure when my mum was not around and it was during those years that I recognised my love for children and wanted to become a nurse.
I have had some major setbacks in starting the journey as I did not have the required O’levels prerequisites. I started the journey by obtaining a single O’level a year at a time by attending evening classes. During those years I got married and had a beautiful baby girl, who is 14 years old now…love her to pieces. I remembered being in hospital the day after my daughter was born, a nursing and midwife tutor came around with some of her students and she asked if she could examine me to demonstrate to the student midwives and I agreed. After the examination I told her I was interested in doing nursing but I was still trying to obtain the prerequisites. She encouraged me to apply for the one year nursing assistant program at the Barbados Community college as a starting point. I did exactly that in 2010-2011 after completing those studies I was given the opportunity to work in cardiac rehab, I enjoyed every bit of it. Then in 2015 I went onto do a Bachelors degree in general nursing and I graduated in 2019, right before COVID hit. I am so happy, I would not have been able to cope with online school. After working for two years as a nurse I relocated to the UK October 2022.

What would you say to your student self?
The journey will be long but keep striving for excellence. “The race is not for the swift but for those that will endure”!

What would be one of your most memorable moments during your career to date?
My first day on the job as a RN a patient crashed just as I was about to finish work for the day. It was the first time I did compressions on a real person it was for some reason exhilarating but I was proud that the team managed to resuscitate the patient. But aside from that, one day a patient returned to the hospital looking specifically for me just to say thank you for caring for her. That really just warmed my heart and it happened on more than one occasion. So, I knew then that I am making a positive impact to those I care for.

So how did it feel landing in the UK with your suitcase and knowing you were going to take all that you have learned and now work here?
In the beginning it was quite frightening and somewhat surreal. I was leaving my family and those close to me behind. I was leaving the familiar for the unfamiliar. What was even more frightening was that every time I turned the TV on it was always doom and gloom, the news was never good. I asked myself on many occasions if I did the right thing. Now that I have settled, it is coming up to a year since starting this UK journey and I am pleased with my decision. More than that, the sky is the limit for me. There are opportunities that I would have here that I would not be available in Barbados.

What was it like nursing in Barbados during the pandemic and what supports did you have?
I worked in the private sector in Barbados and the administrators for the hospital were quite keen not to admit any patients with COVID and as a result there were strict screening guidelines to gain entry into the hospital for staff and patients. So I think I was fortunate, I went about my duties as I would have done, except there was the mask wearing aspect. I think that was probably the hardest part for me, getting accustomed to constant wearing of masks. My heart breaks for those nurses that worked directly with COVID patients in the isolation centres.

Do you think that being exposed to the potential of disaster each year with hurricane seasons and the fact you covered disaster preparedness in your training helped during the COVID years?
Yes, definitely! We would have completed disaster preparedness and management as part of nursing in Barbados and COVID in some sense was like a natural disaster, except we would not really prepare for it because we were unsure what to expect but when I think about the disaster preparedness cycle, the response, recovery and mitigation have a role to play.

Can you reveal something that I wouldn’t expect to know about you?
I recently moved and in order for me to get the bus to work I have to walk 22 minutes to the bus station. So I decided to purchase a bike, which I travel to the bus station with then get on the bus. The last time I rode a bike I was 13 years old which is over 20 years ago. I have been doing pretty good until I had a fall a few weeks ago, I got up so fast I do not think anyone saw me but I was humiliated. I was in pain for a whole week later…laughing at myself.

Quick fire

Take away, Home cooked meal or restaurant?
Home cooked food – any type.

Dog, cat or other?
Both dogs and cats – I don’t have any but like them both.

Scrubs uniform or joggers?
Joggers.

Favourite song and why?
Lord you are beautiful – I like worshipful Christian music.

Favourite film/series?
The Sweet Magnolias series on Netflix.