A flexible, multi-faceted profession: supporting frontline practitioners in the fight against COVID-19

This article provides information and a description of how two health visitors were able to adapt and use their wide-ranging skills to support frontline health professionals in acute settings to meet the demands placed on them during the unprecedented times experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Such knowledge and information could continue to help nurses today. 

Working in a large hospital Trust in North West London meant that we were one of the first hospitals to admit COVID-19 patients and, over the course of a few weeks, the number of critical care beds in the Trust quadrupled. Wards and staff members were changing rapidly and, while there were increased pressures, the atmosphere around the hospital still had a surprising level of calmness. As such, the Learning and Organisational Development team became pivotal in supporting the workforce in responding to these exceptional challenges.

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