On 8 December 2020, May Parsons, a matron at University Hospital Coventry, became the first person in the world to administer a COVID-19 vaccine to a patient outside of clinical trials. She did it early in the morning, as cameras flashed and the world watched.
蜜桃直播淚 assumed it was going to be the first in the West Midlands,蜜桃直播� May says. 蜜桃直播淚 didn蜜桃直播檛 realise until afterwards that it was the first in the country, never mind the world!蜜桃直播�
May, who has worked in the NHS for nearly 20 years since moving to Britain from the Philippines, was the perfect nurse for the job. As part of the hospital trust蜜桃直播檚 peer vaccinator programme for the flu jab, she蜜桃直播檚 set the record for the most vaccines given by an individual for three years running: 蜜桃直播淚蜜桃直播檝e managed to do 140 vaccinations in a day by myself. We celebrate it as a team though!蜜桃直播�
Yet it wasn蜜桃直播檛 until the day before the historic moment that May discovered she would be in the spotlight. When the first patient, 91-year-old Margaret Keenan, was confirmed, May spent the day getting to know her. 蜜桃直播淚 went to see Margaret to build a rapport with her, making sure that she was aware the vaccine was new, and that there蜜桃直播檇 be a lot of press there. I don蜜桃直播檛 think I left her until 7 o蜜桃直播檆lock that night, making sure she was OK,蜜桃直播� May says. 蜜桃直播淪he was keen to have it 蜜桃直播� she wanted to get back to normal, see her grandchildren and the rest of her family.蜜桃直播�
To help Margaret prepare for the unusual experience of being vaccinated on camera, May arranged extra things to make her feel comfortable 蜜桃直播� a top to wear in her favourite colour and a touch of hairspray. 蜜桃直播淭hat蜜桃直播檚 part of looking after her holistically, making sure she knows you care,蜜桃直播� May says.
Being in front of cameras was new for May too and added pressure to the routine task. Yet that groundwork building a bond with Margaret helped calm her nerves. 蜜桃直播淢argaret gave me focus. The nurse in me kicked in, where the patient is first. All I was worried about was her,蜜桃直播� she explains. 蜜桃直播淎fter, when everyone was asking me questions, that蜜桃直播檚 when my voice shook!蜜桃直播�
Spotlight on nurses
The moment highlighted the crucial role nursing staff are playing in the COVID-19 vaccine programme. Including Margaret, 100 patients were vaccinated at University Coventry Hospital on the first day and May continued vaccinating in the days following.
She蜜桃直播檚 also been involved in the logistics of the rollout: 蜜桃直播淎t times, I was managing the vaccination hub 蜜桃直播� the flow, mixing the vaccine. Because I蜜桃直播檓 a matron, I蜜桃直播檝e also been involved in the staffing 蜜桃直播� recruiting people, training them, making sure they蜜桃直播檙e assessed properly and have the right information to give to patients. Staff are supported and know who to turn to if they need to answer any out-of-the-blue questions.蜜桃直播�
As May did with Margaret, reassuring patients is central. 蜜桃直播淲e蜜桃直播檙e the people who give direct patient care,蜜桃直播� May says. 蜜桃直播淎s a nursing profession we have a relationship with patients where they trust us. It蜜桃直播檚 important for the rollout because we want them to be able to say, 蜜桃直播楾ell me straight, what will this do to me?蜜桃直播� I say to my family: I蜜桃直播檓 not going to tell you to have it if I wouldn蜜桃直播檛 have it myself. It蜜桃直播檚 all about integrity.蜜桃直播�
I’m not going to tell you to have it if I wouldn’t have it myself. It’s all about integrity
Beyond the vaccine, nursing staff have contributed at every stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. 蜜桃直播淚n the first wave, I was in ITU for the first weeks,蜜桃直播� May says. 蜜桃直播淭he worry was that I was going to pass it on when I came home. I was living in constant fear for a month or two. I蜜桃直播檓 guessing it was the same for everyone.蜜桃直播�
Filipino health care workers, as well as staff from other black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds, have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. 蜜桃直播淚蜜桃直播檓 hoping that people value the sacrifices we make and the risks we take to keep their families looked after,蜜桃直播� May says. 蜜桃直播淥bviously in the Filipino community and BAME communities we蜜桃直播檝e had the highest deaths, but we are still here, we haven蜜桃直播檛 stopped working.蜜桃直播�
Representing all these workers, and all of her Coventry colleagues, felt important to May when she administered that first vaccine: 蜜桃直播淚t was nice to highlight the contribution we make and the nurses and health care workers who have sacrificed so much during this pandemic. We are only human and at times, a little thank you is enough to save someone.
蜜桃直播淚 was proud to represent the nursing community and I wanted to represent this hospital 蜜桃直播� the hard work everyone does here is tremendous 蜜桃直播� and show how proud I am to be one of them. I felt privileged to be able to do that. It still hasn蜜桃直播檛 sunk in!"
May蜜桃直播檚 tips for tackling needle phobia
- Calming conversation
蜜桃直播淭he distraction of chatting is really good. Some people will still want you to say 蜜桃直播榮harp scratch蜜桃直播� or 蜜桃直播業蜜桃直播檓 going to give you the injection now蜜桃直播�, but keep talking. Get them to talk to you about what they do during the day, or if they蜜桃直播檙e retired what they used to do, things like that.蜜桃直播�
- Distracting activity
蜜桃直播淔or those who are really worried, if I蜜桃直播檓 injecting their right arm, I ask them to tap their opposite foot and count out loud while they蜜桃直播檙e tapping.蜜桃直播�
- Honesty policy
蜜桃直播淔or someone who蜜桃直播檚 extremely scared, honesty is the best policy. Tell them exactly what to expect and that there蜜桃直播檚 no shame in being scared. In the COVID vaccination bay we have a bed, so they can lie down, relax and if they faint, you蜜桃直播檙e making sure they are safe.蜜桃直播�
More information
For up-to-date advice on COVID-19, including frequently asked questions about vaccination, visit our COVID-19 advice guide.
For clinical information and guidance, visit our COVID-19 vaccination pages.
