A Lancaster University student has combined studying full-time for a Master’s Degree with working as a nurse to support the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Catia Gomes qualified as a nurse in Portugal five years ago, and last year began an MSc in Management while continuing to work in A&E at Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

When lockdown began, Catia continued her studies online, combining virtual group working with hospital shifts.

She explained: “I took the decision to study Management after several years working as a nurse, being in charge of wards and working closely with different teams. Since March, we have had to adapt to working on our MSc remotely, overcoming language barriers, differing schedules and physical distance. This was a huge challenge but we quickly adjusted to the new reality.

“Alongside the University work, I have continued to work as a nurse in Accident and Emergency. This involved daily coronavirus updates, changes in team structures and new guidelines. Despite all the training and experience I had gained previously, nothing prepared us for a pandemic.”

Catia was able to condense her shifts into one week or 10 days per month, allowing her to focus on assignments, while also fitting in extra hospital shifts wherever possible. She hopes to complete her studies in September and continue to work as a nurse, while also joining a business to put her Management qualifications into practice.

She said: “Juggling my studies and working in the hospital, without the pandemic, has never been easy. It demanded a lot of organisation and time management throughout the year. During the pandemic, the difficulty increased. Working remotely was not easy, and working in the hospital was sometimes a challenge. As well as being adaptable and flexible, this pandemic taught me a lot about emotional intelligence and emotional resilience.

“I had to evaluate my strengths and limitations and be able to understand my emotions and recognise their impact on my work performance, and relationships. At the same time, I had to manage myself and my responsibilities, and emotional resilience was also crucial.

“After my Master’s, I plan to continue working for the NHS to keep my clinical skills up to date and to remain part of a great organisation with such a high potential for improvement and development.”