'We were all frightened' - Covid nurse shares her experience as new phase of inquiry starts
A nurse who was on the frontline during the pandemic says she and her colleagues are still feeling its effects.
Andrea Prince says working in the NHS "was really difficult" and staff were breaking down in tears with fear.
She says she hopes lessons will be learned from the Covid Inquiry and it will hold decision-makers accountable.
It comes as other harrowing stories from patients and NHS workers have been published by the inquiry examining the impact of coronavirus.
Andrea is a nurse practitioner at the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.
She was on the frontline as coronavirus arrived in Wales in 2020.
"I worked the very first shift that Covid broke and I worked all weekend", she said.
"Literally hour to hour things changed, and more information was coming through. The first night shift we worked, we weren't aware we had to wear full PPE if a patient had a cardiac arrest."
On the 23rd March 2020, the Prime Minister announced the UK would go into a nationwide lockdown.
Andrea described how her job as a nurse changed instantly, as she and her colleagues were faced with the new, terrifying challenges of the pandemic.
"I don't think as a nurse you would ever be coming to work and risking your life as well as your family's".
"To have to ring people and tell them their loved one has COVID-19 and they probably weren't going to see them again and have that conversation over the phone was awful."
Andrea, who is also a union representative at the hospital said, "I do think it changed the face of nursing - it was terrifying."
"I don't think anybody felt safe at that time, I think we were all frightened. The biggest fear for me was, not so much for me or my patients, but taking it home to my family and loved ones."
Leaders from the Health and Safety Executive and Unison are expected to give evidence this week as the inquiry looks at the governmental and societal response to Covid-19 by assessing the impact of the pandemic on how NHS services were delivered.
"I think they were unprepared, but then I don't know if anyone could be prepared for this."
Andrea wants to see the inquiry hold people accountable for the decisions made during the pandemic.
"We have to learn lessons, definitely, from what happened and we have to be more prepared if it ever happens again", she told ITV Cymru Wales.
"I think we need to know the truth, and I don't think anything needs to be brushed under the carpet. We need to know if mistakes were made, people need to hold their hands up and say sorry."
The public inquiry examining the impact of the Covid pandemic on NHS workers, patients and the delivery of healthcare began on Monday.
It is the first public hearing of module three of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, with leaders from the Health and Safety Executive and Unison expected to continue giving evidence this week.
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