Get that Friday feeling!

Hi All!

Brrrrr!!!!

Well the sun may not be shining but hey, it's Friday! I'm not sure if it is just me, but when I am tired I feel cold so I have treated myself with the heating on and a blanket (I am aware that it is Summer time!).

I have just had a busy week catching up on lost hours due to time off essay writing, and have worked six out of the seven past days. I finally get to look forward to a weekend off and am planning on escaping to Somerset in my new car and doing absolutely nothing in terms of university work!

I am still really enjoying my placement, and will really miss the staff and my supportive mentors. I even feel I have built up a rapport with certain lecturers over the three years so it will feel a bit bizarre being independently out in the world of work again! Two weeks today all of my work will be in, and I will be looking ahead to a long summer off and awaiting my degree mark.

It is weird how in Year One I felt like I was just learning the basics and observing nursing skills. By Year Two I was exploring the different teams within the hospital and taking more responsibility with care planning and hands on patient care. And Year Three? Back in September I was convinced I wouldn't feel ready to be a qualified nurse...but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think it partly came with all of my written work being submitted, but also with my mentor leaving me responsible for my own patients and on occasions, the ward.


If you have been taking exams I hope they have gone smoothly...not long until you find out your grades! The countdown begins!

See you next week!
Em x

Where is the time going???

Hi All,

It's that time of week again when I say hello from a lovely sunny Sunday in Luton. Anyone would think it is summer?

I have had another busy week at the hospital, working a mixture of early and long shifts on the ward. The only work I still have to submit are my assessment booklet from this placement and my skills log, which needs to be completely signed off by the time I finish this placement so I am trying to get the last few sorted.

I received my grade back for my degree project yesterday-B+! Very happy with that I had been expecting maybe a C grade so still have the potential to get a First class degree with Honours (albeit a small chance...just have to keep everything crossed!).

I'm still awaiting a location for my job in September, as despite the job offer months ago, I still need to be allocated a hospital in the county. For all of those students who have applied to the Luton & Dunstable Hospital; they have all had interviews and have been told whether they have been offered a position. If it wasn't for my partner living in another part of the country I definitely would have stayed in the area as have found the hospital and the staff so facilitating, and it is a shame I cannot start my career there.

I may be writing a little earlier next week as have a very busy 8days planned. Will be working three early shifts and two long shifts Mon-Fri, then am away for the weekend to visit my other half before driving back to get to University to polish up my nursing portfolio. Then the week starts again! Potentially two weeks tomorrow I will be getting my assessment booklet signed off stating that they believe I am fit to be a nurse. Rather nerve-racking!

Right...best be off! Time really is flying by...never under estimate how quickly it can go!

Chat next week :)
Em x

Now all of the theory work is in...

Hi everyone!

Well today it is finally a weekend day in which I have no more essays due in and guess what, the weather is miserable! Typical! I managed to write my last essay over last weekend and submitted on Monday and am feeling quietly confident about it. I included a lot of good quality references so think it will do!

On Thursday I received my feedback from my degree project online. In our first year the way they released grades and feedback changed, and they decided to give students feedback a week before receiving the grade for that piece. The plan there was if they released it that way students would pay more attention to the essay feedback rather than focus just on the grade which seems to have worked, but the next week wait can be torturous for some students. I was fortunate to receive quite positive feedback stating that I had been 'a tad modest in my self grading' so I can only assume I have been graded better than the grade I gave myself. They ask students to complete a self grade for work to see whether you are under or over estimating the level you are working and the results can be quite interesting.

Ward rounds can really promote MDT learning

So other than submitting my essay, I worked Wednesday-Friday this week and it went smoothly. I have just under four weeks left and it's approaching so quickly! I have a few things still to get signed off in my skills log, and am still to spend a couple of days working with others in the hospital such as the safeguarding nurse and the bed management team. I have continued to really enjoy taking part in the daily ward rounds, and felt amazing on Friday when one Consultant told me he was very impressed with me and that I will excel in the profession. I also sometimes take for granted how much patients pick up. I had felt very bouncy on Friday with the sun shining and the weekend on my doorstep and one female patient asked me how I manage to stay so smiley all of the time, but I generally find it quite easy the majority of the time. I know it wont always be like that, but this past week I can say I enjoyed all of it, and got to work with some really lovely staff and patients. I hope I never take that for granted.

Another happy note was that I found time on Thursday afternoon to pop to a car dealership to have a browse, and despite not planning to buy a car until summer I test drove one and am collecting on Friday. Forgot how much I have missed having my own car, it has been three years now and just having the freedom to jump in and go places rather than relying on a bus or train will be amazing!

Following submission of my essay earlier in the week, I have made a list of everything else outstanding to complete before I submit my portfolio in four weeks. Today I am working on two reflections, with tomorrow focussing on placement summaries and starting on a workbook. Other than that it is more tidying up my work than anything and ensuring that it is structured in a way to show evidence of my learning, and contributing towards the university being satisfied that I can be placed onto the nursing register. After those few bits I guess it is a case of clearing away my books and starting to organise ready to move to the south west. I have booked a few things up for summer leave such as camping in Wales, a theme park and a couple of trips to London while I am living so local. Despite living within such easy reach to London for the majority of my life, I am still yet to visit Harrods or do an open top bus tour!

Well I hope you have all had a good week, good luck with your plans and I will talk to you next week :)

Em x 
 

Another assessment complete :)

Happy weekend everyone!

I'm once again sat at my desk (with back to sunshine ignoring the warmth) playing with my final essay. I am planning to submit on Tuesday so I have a busy long weekend ahead of me.

I have had a really lovely week of placement, which involved a good mixture of ward management and being allocated my own set of patients to look after. It has been refreshing to work so closely one on one with the same patients for a full 13.5hr shift, as I have then been able to handover my patients to the following staff and be able to answer questions about them off the top of my head. It really doesn't feel long now until I finish!

I had my intermediate (midway) assessment with my mentor on Wednesday, which you will find happens on every placement. It is a good opportunity to discuss how you are finding the experience and progress you are making. You also are required to grade yourself on where you think you are at, as well as your mentor grading you. This is quite an interesting thing to see whether you are over or under estimating your abilities! My mentor graded me an A- which I am absolutely thrilled about, so I hope to work on this before my final assessment and bump it up maybe to an A.

Relaxing day at Wrest Park-15min drive from Luton

I managed to sacrifice an essay writing day yesterday for a day out with my partner just relaxing and switching off. I think I needed it as I woke this morning and have been rather more productive than usual! You really do need to take time out to recharge once in a while!

So yes...in 4 weeks and 6 days time (not that I am counting) I will be on my last ever day of placement. I will be meeting with my personal lecturer the day before to get the OK on my nursing portfolio, and hope to submit that along with my assessment from this placement the day after placement finishes. The day this happens, I will have eight weeks off ahead of me. A number of these are consolidation which is used for assignment and examination redo's, but any student who has completed all of their work and all of the hours required on placement can just sit back and await their final degree grade. I will spend some of the time revising a number of things in preparation for my new job, but I am determined to have the most laid back summer ever! I wont ever get that much time off to myself again...until retirement maybe?!

All of the other students in my class have either been offered a job or are in the process of applying for jobs. The hospital I am currently working at had their maths/drugs calculation tests last week and for those who pass the test will be interviewed over the next week or so. Some are considering further studies, and I have heard a few contemplating applying for a further year of study for a Masters at the University of Bedfordshire.

It is all a rather exciting time for us all, as once this next essay is in we officially have no more assignments due in. The end really is in sight!

Have a lovely weekend all!

Emma x

Considering my options

Morning Everyone!

After a soggy week in Luton the sun has finally decided to make an appearance, so I am trying to face the other way and get on with this final essay (yes...the same one I said I really needed to start previously!). I'm trying to tell myself that by writing this blog it may get me into the typing mood, but it could also be seen as procrastination.

The past week hasn't really involved anything new. I had my shifts in the hospital, which included one morning working with a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS). It involved observation of various clinics in which bad news was broken to patients. I had wanted to sit in on these to see the role of the nurse in these highly emotional situations, and what support I could offer people by adapting to their needs. One thing I have never really had the answer to over my three years of study is whether you can show emotions to a patient in certain circumstances. I don't mean breaking down and crying with them, but there is a fine line somewhere between appearing cold and clinical and being too emotional, and finding that middle ground can be difficult. It is hard to sit and talk to a patient and/or their family without it occasionally really getting to you, and this is why reflections and gaining support from the workplace and even the university is essential.

In relation to this blog title I have been thinking over the last week about whether I should start applying for alternative jobs following the course finishing. As previously mentioned I was offered a job back in February, but despite being offered a job with that particular Trust I am still waiting to get a call to offer me an exact location of work. There are two hospitals within a 25minute driving commute, but others could take up to an hour to get to. So now I am left thinking....do I apply for alternative work in case I am only offered hospitals that are too far to commute, but then am also left with the dilemma of being offered a job at one and needing to turn the other down after possibly accepting the job. Either way I have tried to be organised by contacting my two potential referees; my current mentor who is happy to do this and my personal lecturer at the university who has been helpful by offering to draft up a reference now and adapt depending on who contacts her. I guess it is a 'wait and see' situation now, I may let fate decide!

Well that is me for another week. I will be playing with research for my essay this afternoon, then have six days off in a row next week to sit and write. I am sacrificing one of the days off to see my partner as if I am moving in with him in September I should really start to get used to seeing him more than once a month!

Hope you are all well and counting down to summer like me!

Talk to you next week
Em x