Former United Reformed Church Youth Moderator, Katie Henderson, voluntarily switched from working on a paediatric ICU ward to an adult ICU coronavirus ward after she felt led by God to help battle the disease.

“I very much feel like this was a calling for me to do,” she told Premier. “It’s not something I never would have imagined I would have done. And I’ve always said I’m very much a paediatric nurse. I love children. I never thought I could work with adults.

“God’s nudged me to do this and to test me. But I think he’s put me there as well to be there for these patients when literally no one else can because the families can’t come in and there’s not enough nurses.”

Henderson said although she felt by God to join the frontline, it’s been a big emotional challenge.

“There has been some deaths from workers from my hospital. It’s challenging and every day we go in and we’re not sure what the situation with PPE is. [I think] ‘am I going to be protected enough?’ We crack on because that’s what we have to do.”

She added: “Every day I go into work unsure what personal protective equipment we will have. Right now, we are having to wear white boiler suits imported from Turkey that come in one size, that doesn’t fit all. Why? Because there are no gowns left. They are so hot that people are sweating through the scrubs underneath. We are living in scary times and now more than ever I find myself reliant on my faith.”

Henderson said regularly talking to her Christians friends on Zoom and worshipping together has been vital for her during the corona virus pandemic. She said throughout all the challenges God’s presence has been evident.