Placement Update

Where to begin? Literally!! First of all i'm going to state a hard fact, if you're contemplating about going into nursing because it'll be like Grey's Anatomy, saving lives, or just a glorified profession' or anything like that, don't waste your time. I wasn't one of those people, I knew it'd be hard but I was wrong. It is more than hard! I have been on my (very busy) ward for three days and I have never felt so physically and emotionally drained in all my life. I'm on shift for nine days straight and don't really get set breaks, for example yesterday I worked 7-4pm and in that time I got one 30 min break at 9.30 and that was it :( 

Anyways, enough of the rant. It may be a busy ward but the patients are lovely, as are the staff, i've learnt so much and I really believe that i'm lickh to have got such an amazing first placement. 

So far I have done vital obs, care planning, wound dressing, washing, meals, injections, bm's, got a look in on up-dating handovers and i think that's about it, even though I know i've missed stuff out as there's so much I have done and learnt. I have even developed further with my communication skills, which suprised me as I have always been a bit of a talker but when an elderly woman (patient) is crying because she's just seen her husband who is also a patient and is looking so unwell. (Was their anniversary too) it sure helps you communicate more effectively. You'll be told in uni that 7% of communication is your words, 38% is your body language and 55% is your body language and they couldn't be more correct! In the short time I have been there I have learnt that it's the little things that can count most, it's the simple touch to a shoulder when a patient is upset, the keen ear when someone is distressed and, the hand to hold when someone is scared or even the reassuring chat when someone is embarrassed because they've had an accident. 

What i'm trying to say (in a round-a-bout fashion) is I LOVE being a student nurse on my one of a kind ward!! 

That's enough for now, more soon! 

TTFN :P 

Sorry for the neglect, been so busy. Here's an up-date!

I always said that if I started a blog I'd keep it up to date. Famous last words eh? In my defence it's been a whirlwind of events over the past few months and I'll do my best to mention most of the goings-on without being too much of a bore.

Where to begin... Well I've come to realise (the hard way) that being late to a seminar is no where near as bad as being late for a lecture. AWKWARD! Lecture seats are no fun for the Gluteus Maximus :( and OSCE's aren't for the faint hearted. 

The last few months have been all about getting us up to scratch for our first placement (which I'll add is this week!!!) so we have been doing practicals on the main things needed for that such as:

- moving and handling

- basic life support

- safeguarding

- vital observations

We have had one essay on lifelong learning and one practical exam which was out vital observations OSCE (Observed Structured Clinical Examination) which was probably the most nerve wracking thing I have ever done, mainly due to the fact that I haven't been in an exam for nearly 7-years and especially not a practical one. All was fine though as I passed... WOOO! 

So as I mentioned earlier my placement begins this week and I have been allocated a position on a medical ward (respiratory - all I can say) and I am nervous, excited, scared, happy all at the same time. It feels like all I've wanted for the past few months is to start placement but now the time is here I feel like I should still be in uni learning. 

So far my experience as a nursing student in 3 words has been fun, challenging and alien. Everything I thought it would be like turned out to be wrong! I never thought for a second that the course would be easy but I never thought for one minute that there would be so much expected from us at such an early stage. For the most part I feel I've taken things in my stride but things still have time to change, there is the next 6 weeks of placements to get through yet but I'm feeling optimistic. 

Time to go now but I promise I will be back in the not so distant future. Pinky promise lol 

Nikki :)