Multi-tasking taken to the extreme!

Hi everyone,

So as I get further into my nurse training and I'm coming towards the end of my first year and my workload is crazy at the moment, really pushing multi tasking to the extreme. So updating this has kind of gone to one side while I focus on:

1: 1500 word essay for my caring and compassionate foundations skills for nursing practice module (sticking to the word Count is going to be challenging)

2: 2000 word essay on professional practice

3: 20 minute group presentation on an ethical issue relating to nursing

4: medications management exam (and mock next week)

5: medications Osce

This workload is insane!

Most on this only being set 3 weeks ago and due in in the next two weeks. Whilst balancing working and trying to spend time with friends and my fiance.

STRESSED.

Oh yeah and I start my third and final placement of the year on the 18th July on the outpatients department. I definitely enjoy placement way more than theory

I'm still loving my training and after a difficult few months I am pretty proud of myself and my fellow student nurses for getting through this year so far.

I've got this last hurdle of assignments and placements to get through and then a week in Crete sipping cocktails and lying on a beach before I start second year.

It's crazy to think another few months and I'll officially be halfway through my training. I'm definitely someone who has to be kept busy that's for sure.

first week of placement on respiratory

So I have completed my first week of my second placement and can honestly say it is pretty different from the first. Although it is a ward environment and still busy having has experience in healthcare work previous to starting my nurse training my first placement was not soo much of a shock to my system.

I spent my first shift with my associate mentor one of the sisters and found her a little intimidating to start with. I went onto the ward at 7 am till half asleep as it has been a while since I had been awake at that time and was shown to the staff room when I could put my bag and coat. everyone I met was friendly enough and I was shown round the ward although that really didn't stop me from walking round in circles most of the time I was there. We went straight into handover and then from there i tried my best to understand what on earth they were talking about as some of the acronyms I had no idea about. I made a list after handover f things I needed to ask about. and I highlighted on the handover sheet important information to me... when observations were due who had a DNAR ect.

 I then paired up with one the of the HCAS and assisted some of the patients with their personal care needs until breakfasts arrived. the morning flew by I was quite amazing at how quickly I found me feet. i assisted/shadowed on the lunchtime medication round which was a it daunting at I didn't get much chance to do this on my last placement. I felt like ill really have to build confidence on this placement as we progressed round the patient she asked me questions about the medications and what they were for and I honestly didn't have a clue it was soo embarrassing.

We haven't done our medications management module yet and I feel like we should have done it in the first term so that when I'm in placement I don't feel soo silly for not knowing theses things.

The student packs they gave me were fantastic, listing common acronyms, medications and conditions, spokes.

Wobbles aren't always bad.

So as difficult as it is to be super open especially about personal issues, it's one of the reasons I started this blog to try and keep track of my experiences and developments while doing my nurse training.

For me that past few weeks have been pretty hard. I usually struggle at this time of the year with my dad having passed away on the 18th March, this year that was made more challenging by my grandmother passing away on the same date.

It's a difficult experience loosing anyone but it's particularly hard to stay focused and motivated on a career in nursing when you know that your going to be In hospital and see people deteriorate and possibly pass away and sometimes that's unavoidable. Any job in the health care sector will have you facing those situations though.

On top of this I had to move house a lot quicker than expected due to my landlord being in debt and the house being under a repossession order.

I had to take a few days off to attend the funeral and try and get myself together and the first day back at placement wad particularly difficult to get myself out of bed for.

It's funny really when we started the course everyone spoke a lot about the importance of ressilence and self awareness and at the time you think 'oh yeah.. Because your busy and multi tasking and responsibilities..' except it's all that and anything else going on personally, coupled with mental and physical tiredness. Placements and assignments at the same time.

It's hard..

But to me it helps that I can be a part of someone recovering from an illness or at the very least showing them compassion and controlling their pain at the end of their life. It also helps knowing that even after all of that o can go to placement and be soo busy it's actually chaos except controlled and organised and finishing the shift and getting everything done feels like you've scaled a mountain. The staff I have worked with both before and after starring my nurse training have been role models to me and that goes a long way to keeping me motivated.

I'm not going to lie. Dealing with that much in my personal life, for a second i was worried how I could push through but I have soo much support from ward staff tutors, clinical nurse tutors. Family, other students and friends.

I can dread getting up in the morning but once im on the ward and seeing new things. Learning just about anything I'm more motivated and I like feeling like I'm getting more confident and like today being soo busy because of numerous admissions and discharges but working with a good team and getting everything done I felt great.

So in the long run a little wobble will probably do me good because if I can go in feeling down and come home feeling like I've learnt something and proud of myself I know it's the right career for me.

Soo busy

I have found it a little difficult to have the time to update this lately been unbelievably busy.

Not too long ago we found out the landlord was having to sell our house and so had the struggle of finding somewhere new. That would all be fine except most landlords we came in to contact with heard student and ran a mile or made assumptions, I can't tell you how frustrating it is trying to explain a secondment to someone that's never heard of it. We are finally sorted now though and moving on good Friday. It's mid- placement which isn't ideal but it's life and also means we will be living on Preston so won't be travelling as much... Hallelujah

Certain parts of my life definitely arent running smoothly at the minute, during my last placement I got news that my grandmother is terminally I'll. They estimated 2 months in October.. And she's still going, determination must run on the family.

Uni, work and placements have been great though. I started doing slightly less shifts at work a few months ago because I was tiring myself out completely. 3 days at uni and then two longdays at work followed by a weekend of housework and assignments was insane and not manageable for me. I now only to one or two short shifts at work maximum. I know some people have to do those kind shifts out of need but for me it wasn't practical and I take my hat off to anyone that manages it.

I've just had clinical skills week and it was great felt like I got loads put of it this time. Blood glucose testing, ANTT (aseptic non  touch technique), neuro obs, plus sessions with critical care, continence and pain management nurses. Than finally medications management and practice osce. My favourite was the session in the simulation suite though and practicing a-e assessments and using sample to help identify what could be causing the 'patient' to deteriorate.

A airway
B breathing
C circulation
D disability
E exposure/environment/ everything else

S signs/symptoms
A allergies
M medication
P past medical history
L last meal/ low temperature?
E events

It's my first day on the ward and I felt like I hit the ground running, nothing complicated just yet though, assisting with medication round getting to know the ward routine, obs. It was a great first day and 8 hours flew by.

I've also been assisting with student quality ambassadors from both Bolton and Uclan to promote the role throughout the hospital so that we may get involved in projects and to give a different perspective.

Delayed resolutions..

Fallen behind updating this a little bit so lets see if I can start getting back into the swing of things. I finished my first placement on a relatively busy surgical unit on the 8th January, I loved it and had a really good experience for my first placement which makes me a little nervous for my next one which is only 6 weeks away. I'm not sure where I'm going yet although I'm itching to find out. The only stress I had attached to this placement was mistakenly thinking that both me and my mentor had completed all necessary parts of my PAD document only to realise we missed a page and had a last minute dash back to the hospital and to get it handed in on time. I made and was pretty impressed with myself even though I'm sure there was steam coming out of my ears.

I PASSED though :)
I also got 68% on my developing graduate skills assignment
And got 87% overall on my anatomy and physiology module.

The next day I was treated to a few days away in London which was pure bliss for me and really recharged my batteries... and stuffed my face. And then we had two weeks off which weirdly felt like too long for me, I think i just got used to being supper busy with placement and before that exams and assignments that I didn't quite know what to do with myself, so i booked my driving theory test and once that's passed I'll hopefully be able to have a few more driving lessons and book my test. If one thing was a pain for my when it came to placement it was relying on public transport.. I was never late getting there but unfortunately the same cannot be said getting home, driving would make my life a lot simpler.

Now we are back at Uni and starting off a new module which I'm hoping will be interesting, really missed all my fellow student nurses so its been great catching up. Still shocked at how quickly times flying by.. we are back out on placement in march and by then we will be halfway through the first year. so I'm making myself  little priorities list to see if I can stay organised.

1. Revise driving theory
2. find time to do more background reading (new module will need it)
3. Help with plans to promote SQA role within the trust
4. Stop eating so much rubbish (placement was far too close to McDonald's & KFC)

Halfway through placement

So this is officially the halfway point in my first placement and as far as I'm concerned it couldn't be going any better. 

The sheer amount of knowledge and skills I have picked up is pretty amazing to me I never would've believed anyone if they told me I would be able to assist with removing drains or clips or cannulas or anything besides little dressings. My mentor and the other nurses have been so patient and informative about how to do things and why they do procedures a certain way. I feel like I could confidently explain some of them which is mad considering it's been 3 and a half weeks.

The ward is fast paced and as a staff nurse it would appear it requires a lot of multi tasking and being pretty vigilant but there is such a good team atmosphere and it's really put me at ease and brought me out of my shell although occasionally I feel like I'm asking silly obvious questions. 

Yesterday I spent the morning in theatre and found it really interesting, I watched a sentinel lymph node biopsy. The consultant was very friendly and informative. He talked me through what he was going to do and why and explained things while he was doing it. I found it really interesting actually getting to see what lymph nodes looked like as well as the layers of skin the go though. On the massive plus side I didn't knock anything over, faint or say anything really stupid (apparently not uncommon with students).

Although it was really interesting and I would definitely go back to theatre to watch other procedures given the chance. I enjoy talking to patients too much and being able to care for them when they are conscious, the theatre nurses seem like they could teach you a lot and hopefully at some point in the three years I'll have a placement there. 

I've arranged a few more spoke days as well, I'm spending a day with the infection control nurse, the case manager and a day at the beast clinic. I'm really trying to make the most of the placement and learn as much as I can. I guess because I'm enjoying the ward and the experiences it's just motivating me more to do well within the course. 

Really want to know where my next placement is too hopefully we find out soon!

Bursaries and tuition fees

Although I created this blog to really reflect on my placements and experiences while training to become a nurse and possibly after I feel like I want to share my opinion on an issue that seems to be pretty controversial at the moment

BURSARIES
Now although I don't receive one and am lucky enough to be seconded, I do know that the other members of my cohort do not receive a bursary, pay their tuition fees either independently or through loans and use said loans plus some part time work to support their families get to uni/placement ect and are managing for the most part just fine.

Let me reiterate the course structure at University of Bolton, our cohort has around 27 students. our lecturers know us well and make time to be available if we need help/ support or just to talk to them to clarify any issues. We have clinical nurse tutors (equivalent to PEFs) who visit us on placement roughly once a week to make sure we are coping and are getting the best learning opportunities we can. To me the extra support I feel like we get seems to make the tuition fees and lack of bursaries worth it. And it scrapping them means that us student nurses get this kind of support I think that's great.

However I think that if that isn't going to happen then in order to combat a recruitment crisis when it comes to student nurses never mind qualified nurses, the government are going to have to offer an incentive such as a more generous salary for nurses especially taking into account the planned rise of national minimum wage meaning that anyone over 25 will be paid at least £9 an hour by 2020... A newly qualified nurse gets roughly £21000 pa (£10.76ph). So after attending university for 3 years they will receive £1 more than the living wage. I don't think this will entice people to struggle for 3 years.

I agree that especially where my course is concerned its what people want to do so they will use student finance.. I am by no means going into nursing for the money. I have had personal circumstances which have motivated me to want to do this great career as have most people that complete degree programmes in order to become a nurse I'm sure. but in a few years time, my opinion is that there will have to be change when it comes to nurses salaries or else the backbone of then NHS is going to crumble and personally it worries me.