Social Work student plays her part in frontline fight

A GCU student more than tripled her weekly working hours as a pharmacy dispenser to support the fight against coronavirus.

Social Work student Nicola Samson has been in the role for 15 years and admits that the current situation is unlike anything she’s ever witnessed.

Nicola, who’s in her second year at GCU, explained: “The workload has just been absolutely astronomical – I’ve never seen anything like it.

During assessment time I try to support the pharmacy by working 16 hours per week however the demand was so high that I moved up to 50 hours per week when the virus first arrived.

My hours have now dropped down to 34 per week but it’s been really challenging for all of us working there.

We would usually distribute around 500 items per day and that number is now up to 2000, which just shows you how tough it’s been.”

People are too scared to go to the doctors or hospital just now, so they’re coming with some pretty significant injuries – it’s led to a lot of responsibility for us.

Despite the demands of the job, Nicola insists that she would rather be involved than sitting at home.

She said: “I was actually due to be going on holiday to Marrakesh and everything was cancelled.

I’ve been in this job for such a long time and know the people I work with really well. I didn’t like the idea of them suffering while I was in the house – I couldn’t live with myself doing that!

The only thing putting doubt in my head was the possibility of bringing it back home to my children but that could happen if I just go to the shops.”

Nicola added: “It’s just really a natural reaction of wanting to play your part. We might never experience anything like this again and if I’m looking back in 20 years then I want to know that I played my part.”

By Ross Clark

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