The Nursing and Practice Placement teams are both very new to Leeds Trinity University so, to get to know each other better, we organised an away day with the Army Reserves at Harewood Barracks in Leeds.

Facilitated by Sergeant Kevin Bowles, we started by taking part in a field hospital simulation, complete with a loudspeaker playing the sounds of a helicopter and background shouting. Without using words, the team had to find a means of effectively communicating in order to get our two casualties safely into their helicopter. This was followed by leading two of our colleagues, who wore specialist goggles meant to simulate visual impairments, across a river using only benches and a plank.

The rest of the day involved carrying boxes from one end of the room to the other using ropes, building enormous Jenga towers, zip-lining patients across the room with Meccano stretchers before dragging them through an underground tunnel, creating the longest domino effect with bricks and (yet more) Jenga pieces, and, finally, making and racing land yachts (I’d never heard of them either – they’re basically pirate ships made of Meccano and bin bags!)

We also had the opportunity to gain insight into what goes on at the Barracks and how it is used as a field hospital for both soldiers and civilians to receive treatment from war-torn countries. We saw several moving (and graphic) images of people the Reserves team had managed to save. The Army Reserves do not get the credit they deserve, and I personally was in awe of the treatment they were able to give in such an environment.

The day was a fantastic and eye-opening experience, and it was great to see the whole team get stuck into the activities. We laughed, smiled and learned to appreciate and value one another for our different skills and abilities. Most importantly, though, we learned to work as a unit and communicate effectively, which will no doubt help us provide a united front to students on the nursing courses at Leeds Trinity.

I would recommend this kind of team building day to anyone. The Army Reserves generally conjure up images of jumping through muddy tyres and vaulting walls, but rest assured, there was not a speck of mud in sight and the day absolutely surpassed our expectations. We were collectively humbled by the work the medics do and are so grateful they took the time to create such an amazing and intensive team building day when they, like many of us, have other pressing priorities. A huge thank you to Kevin at the Army Reserves for having us, and a massive thanks to the team for such an enjoyable day.

Manda Lister is a Practice Placement Officer in Nursing and Allied Health at Leeds Trinity University.