From Tui cabin crew to frontline nursing assistant on a Covid-19 ward
Tui Airways’ Bridget Donaldson is currently nursing Covid-19 patients on the frontline at Croydon University Hospital. She tells Abra Dunsby what the experience has taught her
Bridget Donaldson, 24, was only able to fly one flight as seasonal cabin crew with Tui Airways in March before the airline was grounded due to Covid-19 and her contract was temporarily suspended.
Then just over a month ago, she swapped her glamorous blue cabin crew attire for scrubs and PPE to work as a nursing assistant at Croydon University Hospital on a Covid-19 ward.
“The deputy director of nursing at the hospital sent out an email to Tui cabin crew staff saying they were looking for volunteers,” explains Bridget. "I decided it sounded like a really cool thing to do and applied,” says Bridget, who also worked for the Red Cross when she was at university. “I love caring for people and that’s one of the reasons I wanted to become cabin crew,” she explains.
Bridget, who has since been temporarily employed by the hospital and works alongside another 34 cabin crew staff, now spends her days offering support to frontline nurses and helping to rehabilitate patients who have come off ventilators in intensive care.
She describes the experience of working on the ward as “a rollercoaster of emotions.”
“My first few shifts were a massive learning curve, she says. “We had training but nothing prepares you for what you see in the job and seeing someone really sick.”
While the job is undoubtedly tough, Bridget says “the majority of the time it’s amazing.”
“The Covid ward I work on used to be an orthopaedic ward, and there are people with lots of on-going issues alongside Covid, including dementia.
“Visitors aren’t allowed right now and we’re really [our patients’] only link to the outside world and their families, so you build up a really meaningful relationship with people. It’s really rewarding.”
Helping hand
As well as working at the hospital, Bridget is also volunteering for St John’s Ambulance, an opportunity that was also passed on by Tui to its employees. Around 460 Tui cabin crew applied for the volunteering jobs with St John’s and hundereds of employees are now working there and offering support to staff.
It means she’s now often working seven-day weeks, but Bridget says the work is helping her cope during the crisis.
“I can’t see my friends or my family right now so I’d rather have some kind of interaction with people – that’s what gives me my energy and keeps me going. I’m spending my time with strangers instead of friends and family but we still have laughs and good times.”
Once the crisis ends, Bridget is looking forward to returning to Tui as cabin crew and one day hopes to become a pilot. “It’s a company that really puts the customer first and I love that,” she says.
She is positive about the revival of the travel industry once the pandemic is over. “People are already desperate to get out of the house, and holidays are always something people prioritise and look forward to every year.”
“If anything, people will be more desperate to get away after the crisis. People are missing out on [travel] now and will grab it when it comes back.”
She adds that talented young people like herself will continue to work in travel too. “It’ll always be an attractive sector to work in, especially for young people. They’ll be wanting jobs once this is over too.”
She tells me the experience of working for the NHS and St John’s Ambulance during the pandemic has been eye opening, and that she’ll bring a newfound perspective with her when she returns to travel.
“It’s taught me a lot about life and how fragile it is. It’s also taught me patience, empathy and to adapt to people’s needs.
“You learn so much about yourself too and that’s probably a good thing. To gain happiness from helping other people is one of the most amazing feelings, and it’s one of the reasons I became cabin crew too.”
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