This monthly feature aims to put a human face on overseas Filipino healthcare workers. We ask them how they’re coping with the pandemic: what drives them, what their future plans are, and how they’re taking care of themselves. Read previous frontliner stories featuring Louella Bernales and Jorge Inot.
While numerous nurses in the UK have complained of burnout, low pay, and long shifts and considering leaving the profession, there are others like Filipino nurse Abigail Sarmiento who sees it “a blessing to be in the frontline” and will continue to stay in the industry.
“I don’t think I will be leaving the medical field soon,” said Abigail, who is a haemodialysis unit nurse attending to patients with end-stage kidney failure.
“It was severely busy during the peak of Covid-19, and no one saw the pandemic coming, but I never ran out of work while others were being furloughed,” she shared.
At the start of the pandemic, the need for more healthcare workers was so great that even those who held office jobs in the hospitals were redeployed to help with the surge of patients.
In Gail’s unit, which also handled critical care for patients with renal failure, the staff was severely stretched when nurses and healthcare assistants were calling in sick because only dialysis nurses could operate machines for treatment.
The fact that end-stage kidney failure patients were at a greater risk for contracting Covid made the scenario even more challenging, so they needed to undergo rigid screening twice a week, with nurses in full PPE.
With lessons from the first wave of the pandemic, things have improved in the hospital setting as doctors and nurses become more adept in managing the Covid cases. And as more people getting vaccinated, fewer patients have ended up in critical care.
“While I sometimes hear in the news that cases are surging, I am not too worried as hospitalizations are not actually increasing. I don’t see patients deteriorating as much as they did during the first wave,” Abigail observed.
Rest and relaxation
Not wanting to get burned out, Abigail makes sure she finds some quiet time when she comes home after a shift.
“I take some time to let me mind rest, and I slow down for about 15 minutes, taking deep breaths and trying to focus. Self-care has been very important to me, and I find that repetitive stuff, like having a skin-care routine for the face and body, relaxes me. I am actually surprised how effective it is to help make me feel good!” she shared.
She’s also discovered the joy of cooking, making the effort to feed herself with nourishing meals. And now that life in the UK has eased up a bit, she has started to visit museums and exhibits once more—a pastime she always found time for pre-pandemic.
Family in the Philippines is what keeps her going. Not having been home since 2019, she misses them terribly, but, as she says, “It’s not that easy to go home to the Philippines since it’s on the UK’s red list, meaning I have to quarantine in a government- approved hotel when I come back.”
Still, she’s grateful that no one from her immediate family has gotten sick from Covid and that they’ve managed to get vaccinated.
Even though a “normal” post-pandemic future seems too far off, Abigail continues to be hopeful, always preferring to see the glass half full. “Life is short, so take opportunities as they come.” She’s taken this lesson to heart, as a few months after this interview, she managed to be relocated to Florida, joining a significant other. The future is bright for Abigail.
Wingspan is united with nurses and all healthcare professionals who have been saving lives around the world. The core of what we do focuses on long-term sustainability. We advocate ethical and socially responsible workforce solutions. We promote human capital formation and equitable economic growth in both sending and receiving countries. These are the essence of who we are and embedded in every decision we make. To understand our services, contact solution@wingspan-consulting.com.