Medical Matters: My experience of Ramadan as an NHS nurse

As the Islamic calendar is based around the lunar cycle, the holy month of Ramadan rotates by approximately ten days each year. 

This year, Ramadan began on the evening of Friday, February 28 and ends on Sunday, March 30.

Fasting plays an important role in many major religions and is a central feature in all the Abrahamic faiths. In Islam, adult Muslims who are able to are required to fast during the month of Ramadan.

Here at the trust, we have many who observe Ramadan. I joined the trust in February 2022 as an internationally recruited nurse from Ghana. I currently work as a charge nurse at Dawlish Hospital in a rehabilitation unit. My responsibilities include general nursing duties, overseeing staff development, managing sickness absences and supervising students in clinical practice

Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is a deeply significant period for me as a Muslim. Fasting is an act of worship that strengthens our connection with Allah (God) and serves as a time of reflection, self-discipline and spiritual growth.

The period of fast is every day from dawn to sunset and this means no food or drink throughout this period. The days are continuing to draw out as we exit the winter period which means that this fasting period will be a little longer each day. This means at the start I fast from around 6.30am and this won’t be broken until around 6.30pm, but by the end of Ramadan the fasting period will be around 6am and won’t be broken until after 8pm.

My colleagues are accepting of my fasting but I think it’s important that they understand why I may wish to have my break alone at work and not be around those eating as I fast.

This month is also a time for increased acts of charity and kindness. Personally, Ramadan reminds me of the struggles faced by those who experience hunger and hardship, reinforcing the importance of generosity and supporting those in need within our communities.

My first experience of fasting in the UK was quite challenging, particularly while working long shifts on a busy ward. 

Torbay Hospital does have a multi-faith room, but I don’t work from there that often so it was tricky for me to find space to pray during breaks; I often felt exhausted by the end of my shifts and initially, there was little consideration for my fasting needs.

However, over time, my team and all at the trust have become more aware of these challenges and encouraged me to inform them in advance of Ramadan so they could adjust my rota accordingly.

I now work predominantly night shifts during Ramadan, which was helpful as it aligned better with fasting and meal times. This also helps me observe my five daily prayers at their designated times.

I am fortunate that here at the trust, managers and team leaders now adopt a more flexible approach when scheduling shifts for Muslim colleagues during Ramadan, but as a society there is more to do and many workplaces can do more to help and be that bit more accommodating, such as providing prayer or multi-faith rooms to create a more supportive and inclusive environment for staff observing religious practices.

To all who observe, I wish you a blessed Ramadan.

Further advice on staying healthy during Ramadan can also be found on the NHS Muslim Network and British Islamic Medical Association websites.