Poet pays tribute to life-saving nurses
By Gemma Raw
Michael Rosen, who spent weeks in intensive care as a result of COVID-19, spoke at the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Congress in June.
In an emotional and heartfelt address, the world-renowned poet and children's author paid tribute to the nurses and healthcare workers who cared for him during his time in hospital. As well as thanking them for saving his life, he read out entries from his patient diary, written by healthcare staff who looked after him.
"I promise we will keep giving you the best care we can give until we get you back on your feet," wrote one contributor to the diary. Another wrote about how lovely it was to see all the photos his family had sent in, showing how much he's loved.
Rosen also told the conference about a nurse who had created a playlist of songs curated by his family and would play this to him while he was in an induced coma. "I can't explain how kind and lovely that is," he said.
A long road to recovery
It was at the end of March 2020 that Rosen developed severe coronavirus symptoms. He was admitted to the Whittington Hospital in North London and spent the next six weeks unconscious and on a ventilator in intensive care.
When he finally came out of the coma, he was transferred to St Pancras Rehabilitation Unit, where a multi-disciplinary team, including physiotherapists and occupational therapists, helped him regain his mobility and learn to walk again.
Documenting his experiences
Rosen has written two books based on his experiences, both of which pay tribute to the medical staff and allied health professionals who helped him get better. Many Different Kinds of Love: A story of life, death and the NHS is for adult readers and describes the care he received and his journey to recovery. Sticky McStickstick is aimed at children, humorously telling his rehab story and how he learned to walk again.
COVID impact on nurses' wellbeing
In his speech to the RCN Congress, Rosen highlighted the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wellbeing of the ICU staff who cared for him. "I know the strain that some of you, ICU nurses, have experienced during this time in particular," he said.
The ICON study is an ongoing research programme examining the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers. Led by the RCN Research Society steering group, it began in 2020 with a first-round of interviews with 27 nurses, carried out in July and December. High levels of burnout and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) were reported.
In November 2021, researchers at the University of Surrey received £60,000 of funding from the Colt Foundation to extend their previous work on the survey. This will enable further interviews to be carried out to assess the ongoing impact of the pandemic on healthcare staff.
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