Victoria Orlova, a student at RUDN Medical Institute: During four courses of study I have been thinking “Why is the profession of a nurse so underestimated?”

Nurses have a huge responsibility on their shoulders. Specialists of my profession are always close to the patient and can be the first to notice changes in the patient’s condition and inform the doctor about it to prevent possible deterioration.

The nurse is an independent specialist. Her duties, of course, are primarily doing what the doctor says. At the same time, nurses watch the patient’s condition, monitor the intake of necessary medications in the right dosage, in accordance with the schedule, process documentation, give patients injections and dressings. The nurse knows the name, purpose of prescribed drugs and their dosage, and knows how to perform nursing manipulations. Students who major in “Nursing” study biology with the basics of genetics, anatomy, biochemistry, the basics of nursing, as well as management disciplines, for example management theory.

Nurses, like other healthcare professionals, participate in scientific research, conferences and seminars, prepare publications for scientific journals and volunteer.

During the spread of coronavirus infection, medical workers needed the help of volunteers. I was a third-year student and, together with my classmates, decided to go to help in the State Clinical Hospital named after. S. P. Botkin. We worked in a room where medical workers prepare to enter the red zone). We measured the temperature of workers, selected protective suits, surgical suits and shoes, carried out current and general cleaning in the room, received boxes of food and put them in refrigerators, collected Class B waste (extremely epidemiologically hazardous waste that is generated in infectious diseases departments) in the red zone.

It was rewarding experience. We volunteered for almost two months — from the end of May to the beginning of July 2021. In addition to performing our immediate tasks, we gained experience from medical workers. Then the room was closed. The senior nurse suggested that we continue volunteering as a summer internship in the Department of Purulent Traumatology and Surgery. We gladly agreed. We were taught to perform dressings for various pathologies, intravenous blood sampling, intramuscular and subcutaneous injections, and many other nursing manipulations.

Volunteering is voluntary activity. For our work, we didn’t receive material rewards, but we got invaluable experience.

Later, my colleagues and I were awarded a diploma of the President of the Russian Federation and a medal for volunteering. We proudly went on stage for awards, it was very nice to hear “Thank you for your work!”