The coronavirus pandemic has seen many Australians losing their jobs. At the same time there has been an urgent demand for frontline health workers, which has seen many make a career pivot to help battle the pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has upended the lives of millions of Australian workers, with many losing their jobs or taking pay cuts.
Key points:

• Coronavirus has seen increased demand for frontline health workers
• Many current medical professionals have switched health disciplines to help
• And some workers have come from other non-medical fields to join the fight

At the same time, therehas been an increased need for some types of workers such as cleaners, supermarket staff, doctors and nurses.
And it has been the urgent demand for frontline health workers, especially, that has seen many workers make a career pivot to help battle the pandemic.
Important to ‘fight the good fight’ against COVID-19
Michael Krasovitsky helped set up the Prince of Wales Hospital’s COVID-19 clinic.(Supplied: Michael Krasovitsky)
Like most people, 32-year-old Michael Krasovitsky envisioned his year going a little differently.
The oncology advanced trainee was planning to take 2020 off to recharge, travel, do some medical research and attend conferences overseas before finishing off the last year of training required to become a cancer specialist.
“I was meant to be jetting off to America in a couple of days,” he told 7.30.
“And then I was going to spend a number of months in Europe.
“It became pretty clear early on that that was not going to be possible, so rather than just sitting around in Sydney, I thought it was important that I come and help my colleagues who were fighting the good fight against COVID.”
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In March, as Australia’s coronavirus infection rate was rising rapidly, Dr Krasovitsky helped establish the COVID-19 testing clinic at Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital and now works there as a senior doctor.
The clinic tests hundreds of patients a day for coronavirus.
“This is a really unprecedented time for the public and a really scary time,” he said.
While running the clinic and swabbing patients is very different to his previous job, Dr Krasovitsky says his training in oncology has given him many skills that have helped in his new role.
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“Having trained in medical oncology, I feel that I’ve developed a pretty good skill set in communicating with people and empathising with them,” he said.
“I think my previous job has probably taught me the importance of looking at things as a whole picture and looking at people as not just a symptom, but as a person with fears and wishes and concerns.”
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Proud of community response
Dr Michael Krasovitsky has deferred the last year of his oncology training.(Supplied: Michael Krasovitsky)
While Dr Krasovitsky is passionate about his work, it has taken a toll on his personal life.
“One of the scary things about this pandemic has been the rate of infection of healthcare workers,” he said.
“That’s something that’s worried us in the clinic, but more than that, it worried our families, our loved ones and our friends.
“It can be honestly pretty lonely working in the coronavirus clinic and needing to socially distance from people, including a number of members of my family who have felt uncomfortable being around me,” he said.
“I’ve found that really hard.
“I have had some incredibly supportive friends who have shown me great kindness and been really understanding, but I’ve missed my family and I’ve missed a number of my friends, and I’m really excited for this to settle down a bit so that I can see everyone.”
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After working in the clinic for two months, Dr Krasovitsky is feeling positive about the outlook for Australia.
“I feel really blessed to live in a country where people are taking this so seriously and where, as a result, our outcomes have been so good,” he said.
“I have found it incredibly distressing watching what’s happening in Europe and what’s happened in America, South America and Asia.
“We are so lucky in Australia to have acted so quickly and decisively. And I’m just so proud of how the community here has responded.
“I just feel exceptionally lucky to work in this healthcare system and immensely proud of us.”
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Grounded flight attendant returns to nursing
Suzi Hannan worked as a Qantas flight attendant for almost 30 years before the coronavirus pandemic grounded flights.(Supplied: Suzi Hannan)
Suzi Hannan has also had a whirlwind year.
Until a few weeks ago Ms Hannan was a flight attendant with Qantas.
“I’ve been working with Qantas since 1989,” she told 7.30.
“I’ve been very lucky: I’ve managed to have a family, I’ve travelled the world, I’ve studied, I’ve looked after politicians, dignitaries, celebrities, you name it. But most of all I’ve got to make some amazing friends.”
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Like most of the airline’s staff, Ms Hannan was stood down after flights were grounded.
“Being stood down came as a shock,” she said.
“We knew it was coming but to see it in black and white was confronting.”
‘I’ve come back home’
Suzi Hannan is now studying to reregister as a nurse.(Supplied: Suzi Hannan)
Ms Hannan, who trained as a nurse 30 years ago before starting with Qantas, applied for a role as a nursing assistant at the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse cancer treatment centre and rediscovered her passion for the profession.
“I just feel like I’ve come back home. I feel like this is my calling,” she said.
“I wanted to be a nurse since I was seven.
“Just the patient interaction, the sense of fulfilment of being able to help people brighten their day, make them feel better.”
She is enjoying her new job so much she is studying to reregister as a nurse and plans to work part time for Qantas and part time as a nurse when flights resume.
“Whether you’re on a plane or in a hospital, I see both of them as people being out of their comfort zone,” she said.
“And I think if you are there with a calm, knowledgeable, caring approach, it helps both patients and passengers.
“I feel very lucky to be still employed and gone back to my roots and it’s a blessing in such a dark, dark time”
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