A woman who watched her grandad die of coronavirus in hospital said she knew she had made the right decision to become a nurse.
Ruby Jocelyn, 19, had been studying business and economics at the University of Liverpool but decided to switch to study nursing last summer.
The teenager had become inspired to make the change after being inspired watching her mum Jacqui, 52 - who is also a nurse - save lives on the NHS frontline.
However, it was only a few months into her decision to make the switch that her grandad contracted coronavirus and was rushed to hospital.
Tragically, after a three week battle he lost his life to the disease.
Ruby said: “When my grandad was taken ill, I saw how well he was looked after and all the extra mile my mum’s colleagues were doing to help him.
“That made me realise that I was in the right profession and it made me want to help the other families that couldn’t see their family members.”
Ruby said she admired the tireless work by all of the hospital staff who tried to save his life and have saved the lives of thousands of other people.
Since working with her mum, who is a critical care nurse, Ruby says her eyes have been opened to the hard-work and dedication it takes to be a nurse.
The mother and daughter even spent a gruelling shift together on Mother’s Day.
She said: "I have seen my mum from a different perspective since I have worked on Critical Care as a Healthcare Assistant, I never really appreciated what she did until I saw it first-hand.
“It’s been nice to have my mum there to explain things and relate to when we’ve both had a tough day.
“Having her there to answer my never ending questions has been such a blessing.
“It has helped me cope with being in an unfamiliar environment where things happen on a day to day basis which other people may never see in their life.”
Mum Jacqui, who has been working as a Critical Care Nurse at East Lancashire Hospital Trust for 30 years, was amazed when her daughter decided she wanted to become a nurse.
Jacqui said: “Ruby would see me coming home from work last year and I would tell her tales of what was happening on the unit and in the hospital and I think she was inspired by this.
Enter your postcode below to find the latest covid figures where you live:
“I was shocked when Ruby told me she wanted to be a nurse. It’s not an easy career, especially at the moment, but I hope she continues to enjoy what she does in the future.
“If she is going to follow in my footsteps she needs to work hard and maintain high standards, but most of all appreciate her colleagues.”
