Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the future paramedic František Mayer had a slightly different first semester at university than he imagined. As soon as he got adjusted to his new life as a university student, the learning changed from present to distance, he joined the Olomouc University Hospital as a volunteer and completed part of his internship working for the Covid Center at the Olomouc Military Hospital. After his exams, he is willing to help fighting the epidemic again.
“As every freshman, I didn’t quite imagine the beginning of my studies like this. We were at school for about three weeks, got used to the new environment and then the school closed. The closure was regretful because we have created such a great team. The switch to distance learning at the beginning of our winter semester was really disappointing, “ muses František who has always wanted to save lives. “I got adjusted to the university life really well and I like it here very much,” he adds.
He suddenly had a little bit more free time having online classes, so he and several classmates decided to offer their help to the University Hospital. He modestly says about his three-week volunteering that he only delivered medical supplies. “In the beginning, the worst thing was probably getting up before five in the morning. I wasn’t used to that. Fortunately, my body got used to it quickly. The work itself was quite demanding. We had to deliver boxes of medical supplies to many departments and one had to remember what is going where and everything had to be delivered on time,” he explains adding that now he is much more familiar with the medical center.
During his internship, he soon got to know the Olomouc Military Hospital too. As a high school graduate, he had no experience working in a medical facility, but as a paramedic trainee, he experienced for a couple of days what it takes to work in the covid inpatient ward with his full personal protective equipment on. “ We had about a dozen patients there to take care of. The nurses were very patient with me in the beginning because everything was new to me. I would like to thank them for that. The work in the protective suit is not exactly pleasant, but you get used to it. One must be very careful whether working with patients or taking the suit off, but I was not afraid of the infection. I had it all figured out where and how I would spend my quarantine in case I had gotten sick,” says František.
He also learned a lot having worked in the ICU, where he was transferred from the covid center. “I met patients who were in bad shape and needed intensive care. Whether you like it or not, you build relationships with your patients and then you are sad when their condition worsens. I tried to do my job as best as I could and take full responsibility for my work because I am well aware that a hospital job requires that.”
František approaches his studies with the same commitment. Although classes online did not suit him at all, because he rather goes to lectures and seminars in person, he would take his school assignments with him to work and study whenever he had a moment to spare. Now, after Christmas he feels sufficiently rested not only to take his exams. “After the exams, I will definitely be happy to volunteer again wherever it is needed,” he concludes.