8 week countdown!!!

Evening everyone :)

Have had to make a mad dash for the laptop this evening as time has run away from me and I realised that I have yet to post this week!

Well as the title suggests, I have just 8weeks left of theory EVER before my 2weeks Spring leave followed by 13week final placement at the hospital then that is it! I had assumed that this theory block would drag before anything exciting started to happen, but it does feel all go. Throughout March, I have an OSCE, a written exam and a 20minute presentation to prepare for. With all of the going on's in my personal life at the moment I must admit that I have put uni work aside for the past few weeks, but I am determined to spend at least two study days this coming week locked away working on my presentation-must stay focussed!

I guess the extra pressure of time has snuck up particularly this week after we were visited by a previous student who was one year ahead of our group. He was invited in to answer questions we had with regards to the transition from student nurse to qualified. This was really an eye opener! I had set in my head that I should start applying for jobs around May time (4months before wanting to start I felt was plenty) but no...he explained that he applied this time last year ready for September and now is definitely the time to start watching NHS Jobs. So am registered to attend two career open days (one in this area and another in the South West) so really need to start preparing my questions and reading through the values of each trust to understand what each hospital's 'goals' are. I also have absolutely no idea which idea I want to work in (I'm not the only one) so have the luxury of seeing what is out there and going from there.

I also was able to attend a meeting last Friday involving lecturers, other student representatives and the area NHS Trust. In terms of passing on words of wisdom for new students or those interviewing is take a look at the NHS Constitution and the 6 'C's, they will be mentioned more and more so it is good to be at least aware of them. You may also hear in the first year of study about the opportunity to become a care maker, and you can find more information here. I know I have mentioned it before but it is a really good idea to stay aware of the changes and going on's in the NHS and healthcare in the UK, as it will prove beneficial during both study and applying for jobs. Depending on how driven you are or how much you want to take from your time at the university, you may want to become a representative for your class or take up various other opportunities that arise. I see each as an opportunity that I will not have again, although I accept not everyone feels this way!

Well that is my wittering for this week. I have lectures three days this week, so I am hoping my next post will be one of relief at having cracked on with my work! Fingers crossed!

Em x

Ps on a random note, a lot of us bought this book before starting the course which came in handy to give you an idea of what you will face during your three years study. Can be found on Amazon and probably other locations/shops :)