Preston student radiographer is featured on national news

A student radiographer who returned to placement to support the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic has had her video diary account featured on national news.

As reported previously in RAD Magazine, radiography student Ismat Khan from the University of Cumbria returned to placement at the Royal Preston Hospital in June to care for patients exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19.

Around 40,000 student healthcare workers including student nurses, midwives, paramedics, radiographers and more signed up to go back and many of them have gone onto the front line of healthcare for the first time.

In a video piece featured on BBC national news and online Khan is seen in the radiography suite demonstrating the equipment and performing a mask-fit test, which checks the validity of PPE. She explains that a lot of her work has been chest and abdomen x-rays to check for the signs and effects of COVID-19.

She said: “I got fit-tested, which was pretty interesting and also scary as you get a mask put on and they almost put a beekeeper mask on top and spray this bitter spray.

“I was in theatre and I had my FFP3 mask, a visor, a lead gown and gloves on. It got really hot and sweaty, especially with the lead gown; my back was sore within half an hour. It was painful but you don’t really notice it until after you take them off. When you experience COVID-19 and you see patients suffering with it, that’s when it hits you.”

All the students whose diaries were featured have secured places on the Council of Deans for Health UK Student Leadership programme, which coaches and develops the healthcare leaders of the future.

Picture: Ismat Khan

Published on page 6 of the August 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.