Getting organised

This week I have been full of cold so have appreciated my bed when I can finally crawl into it.  It is usually when I settle down to sleep however, that I suddenly remember everything that the day’s events have put to the back of my mind, which is why I sleep with a notebook and pen close to hand.

I’ve always considered myself to be an organised person, but even with my colour coded diary, there always seems to be something that prevents me from sleeping until I have scribbled it down in the semi darkness. 

When you start university, you will be reminded that you are an ‘adult learner’ on an almost weekly basis.  This means the investment you make in your education is much greater than it ever was at school or college.  Although the tutors want you to pass and are incredibly supportive, there is no spoon feeding of information.  They will provide you with the basics so you are safe in practice, but if you want to get a good grade, then you have to be self motivated and put in a lot of work yourself. 

When you are a health care student, not only do you have written assessments such as essays and exams, you also have the added pressure of clinical placement and your practical assessments.  This all means organisational skills are key.  Below are some of my top tips;

Get a diary
I would be lost without my diary, which is covered in post-it notes and coloured tabs.  Along with black pens, a diary with plenty of room to write for each day is an essential purchase for any health care student. 

Early to bed, early to rise
Not only will you catch the early worm, but you will also be more productive and healthier!  Too many times I have tried to burn the candle at both ends, with a 05.30am alarm for an early shift and then staying up until the small hours.  The result was burn out.
 
Make lists
One of the simplest joys in life is to cross things off your to do list.  It is often a good idea to break things down to smaller tasks which are manageable rather than popping down ‘dissertation’ and then carrying it over from day to day.  

Plan your day, week and month
During busy periods I have been known to plan my day hour by hour, but that is just me!  It is important you have an overview of what your month looks like so you can book in time for my last point…

Remember to rest
There is such as thing as working too hard!  It is important you take time to slow down and enjoy a day off.  Go for coffee with a friend, watch a film, stay in bed until 1pm, take the dog for a walk, however you relax, but make sure it has nothing to do with your course.  Otherwise, it is very easy to get lost down the rabbit hole.

Hope that has been helpful. See you next week. 

On a final note, if you get a chance to watch Childbirth: All or Nothing on BBC iplayer, I recommend you do.  It makes very interesting viewing and has sparked debate within our cohort. 

Welcome to my penultimate post!

Evening All!

Well, this is my last post but one and I am well into my summer leave (and rather getting into the swing of it!). I have had a rather chilled past week; gardening and sunbathing, cleaning, cooking, throwing away things prior to packing my life into boxes and general helping out around the house. All of my family are getting together next Sunday as an 'end of an era' kind of thing at my grandparents house prior to putting it on the market, so it may be the last time we all have the chance to get together. I am the youngest in my family and with me moving to Somerset, my sister living on the Isle of Wight and my mum planning to relocate at some point in the future, we will be all dotted around England so it could be rather difficult to find the time to see everybody. It's sad really as I grew up living next to my grandparents and in the same road as my cousins and we were all really close but things change, sometimes for the good and other times not so good.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, my Gran was part of the reason I applied for the nursing course and she died before I started, and my Grancher passed away earlier this year. Quite a number of other students also experienced tough times throughout the three years of study. Sometimes it was homesickness, sometimes illness to those close to them and other times loss of a loved one. On some of those occasions student's would leave the course to spend more time with their family, or look into re-joining the course at a later date. Others applied to have extensions on their work submission dates just to take a little time out. In one way I was luckier of having more time to come to terms with my grandfathers illness. I would spend time on placement then come home to help with housework to free up time for my mum to see him more. I had time to come to terms with what was happening and made a point of doing all work early as I couldn't predict what would happen. With many people there is no time to get ahead of the game so to speak.

The main thing is to know that when you start the course, there are always avenues at the University to help. There is a big team at the main campus who can assist with many issues, such as financial, extra support in study, etc. When it comes to something more personal such as a family issue the lecturers for nursing are there to support and can meet with you to discuss options such as an extensions with work. The main thing is to ask for the help before it gets too much and to know what options lay in front of you before making any sudden decisions. I hope nothing bad happens to you or your loved ones throughout the course but if you do need help, the Uni definitely can assist. 

I look back on my three years and can't see how I got to this point. I still see Facebook posts from other students I have met through placement who are in  a year below me writing about how tough things are and panicking about work and remember writing almost exactly the same things. We were told that from the end of Year 2 things would fly by and I shrugged that off, but trust me...it really does! The main thing to remember is you will need support at some point, so make sure you take time out for family, friends and uni mates too. They will all be going through the same thing, and everyone will have different strengths and weaknesses, different ways to tackle their workload, but at least your stresses will be the same!

And on that note, I must depart to sleep. Will see you next week for my last post!

Em x

P.s. still no news about the job I applied for....nail biting wait!

And there it is...three years of study comes to an end

Hello Everyone from yet another sun kissed evening in Luton!

Well here is the post I feel I have been counting down to all year...my studies are over! I completed the last of my placement hours on Thursday and got the last of my skills signed off for submission. I passed my final essay (naff grade for me but I am rather ecstatic with a pass at this point!) and submitted the last few bits of work into University yesterday morning. I also met with my Personal Lecturer on Wednesday  
to go through my work and grades and to discuss how I have done, including her taking some notes in order to write a reference for me.

Following my submission of an application for a hopeful job in the South West come September, I decided to give them a ring for more information about the role. The lady I spoke to sounded lovely and I was told about the position and that they would be shortlisting not long after the closing date on the 21st July. Whilst I play the waiting game, I will be heading off to Somerset tomorrow and having a camping trip in Wales and fortunately the sun is due to shine! I will be mostly living off BBQ's and playing on inflatable hoops in the sea!

I'm feeling a little 'between two worlds' at the moment. My last shift in which I had been focussing on for three years and having all of my work due in came...and went. I have been so focussed on the final day I did not contemplate what would happen after this point. My partner asked me the other day when I would be officially moving in with him and I did not have a clue. I have only ever been in a relationship with him as a student, so I am trying to get my head around no more countdowns....my future is now!

Three years ago, I had been counting down to starting at the University of Bedfordshire. I remember arriving on the first day and sitting at our Induction at Park Square looking around wondering who to start up a conversation with. I remember thinking how long three years would be, and how I would be 29years old when I finished. I remember feeling like I would find it difficult to adapt back to study mode after 8years of full time working. Year One passed, Year Two arrived. I then remember thinking how long another two years would be of study, then when Year Three began last year it hit me...I'm a Third Year student  and expected to know things! This year really has been the quickest of them all. Despite having quite a lot on this year with essays, our equivalent of a dissertation, an exam, an OSCE and full time working hours at the hospital; it made things fly by.

Today I spent my day being what I call normal (others may deem 'dull'). I did the food shopping, sorted lunch and did my ironing. I emptied a cupboard to start throwing things away before relocating, and continued selling things on eBay. The main thing was it felt amazingly refreshing to just do normal things. I got to catch up with my mum and sit out in the sunshine, all things I used to take for granted until I did not have the time with study. Now all of the work is in I feel absolutely fantastic with a sense of achievement. It has felt like such a long journey but I've done it! We have a date to come back in in September to sign onto the nursing register, and our Graduation will full at the end of November.

It has been hard work, but I think because of this I feel that I have achieved so much more than I had expected of myself, and also that I have earned this summer off!

Well, I best get packing. Will catch up next week after camping and Thorpe Park ;)

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

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

Video and weekly update

Happy soggy weekend all!

Well, the weather is a tad different compared to the mini 'heatwave' of last weekend. Now is the weather to get back behind my desk and get on with my work. I say work...so far I have been browsing internet shopping websites and Rightmove, sending out a few emails and now am here with you! I know I have always been aware that sometimes it is best to start with the jobs that feel like a chore first but I need to hunt down my essay writing motivation first!

Firstly, here is a link to a video I was in back in January. I do cringe when I watch it as do not regard myself as photogenic or camera-friendly, and do find like my six year old self I do overuse the word, 'Um'. It is a short video on my experiences at the University, so I hope it comes in useful :) For a general video on the University of Bedfordshire as a whole, this one has been appearing at some cinemas recently, but if you have not managed to catch it, here it is

Nearly there...

So, my week up to now unfortunately has not been very exciting in terms of news. I have had three shifts working at the hospital and really do feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My mentors have been so supportive, so much in fact I have just sent an email to the Chief Executive of the hospital I am based letting her know how much I have appreciated the support from all staff. I had always hoped that the other nurses would be supportive, but I have also taken away so much from Health Care Assistants, specialist nurses, consultants and not forgetting ward cleaners and housekeepers. I now have until the 12th June to complete my LAST EVER ESSAY but feel good about it despite not having actually started it (well...I have a plan and some library books?!). I have started hearing murmerings of Graduation, but ours will not be until November, which will be a good opportunity to catch up with my classmates. Up to this point I didn't really think about going to Graduation as it seemed so far away, but the past three years has abolutely flown by so I guess I can start dreaming and planning my outfit!

St Mary's...place of Graduation

One thing I was thinking about the other day was whether the new plans for potential nurses to complete Health Care Assistant work first before starting the university course across England would affect whether people opt to apply for the course? If you want to read more about it, just Google the Francis Report and there is a lot of information to get your teeth stuck in to. I would be interested in any comments on this.
 

So, that is me for another week. I'm guessing those who have applied for September already know whether they have been offered a place (conditional or unconditional)? I hope all of your preparations are going well, and for those in college I hope exam prep is going well also!

Speak to you soon
Em x

Long Bank Holiday weekend off? What's that?!

Hi all from a lovely sunny evening in Luton :)

How are things? Are you enjoying a lovely weekend off? I can't keep up with bank holidays and holidays at the moment...I'm thinking the next week off for a lot of people is at the end of May?

Would be nice...

The only way I tend to know that the schools and colleges are closed is when I wonder why there are hardly any cars around in the afternoon. I have just finished my third week of placement and so far I have only had early shifts (7am-2.50pm) or long days (7am-9.30pm). This week I worked four days finishing with a long day yesterday and got home, had something to eat and went straight to bed. I then woke at 7am this morning naturally to then get up and get back behind the desk to finish my degree project draft. The pressure started to hit when I realised that I am now back on placement tomorrow for four more shifts in a row and then away for charity work all weekend. No time at all to do my university work! I wish I was one of those people who could get home from an early and get on with my work but all I do is get home, have a cup of tea, chill and have an early night.

Regarding working on the Bank Holiday tomorrow, the university does tell us that students are not expected to work on a bank holiday. This is great for those with plans or children, but as I had neither (oh the exciting life I lead!) I chose to work it, as I would just have had to make up the hours another time.

The long shift yesterday was my second in two weeks. The total duty time after breaks was 13 1/2 hrs but to be fair it flew by. Different wards follow different shift patterns, most seem to be 7 1/2 or 12hr shifts. I had some positive feedback yesterday from one of the consultants on the ward, which seemed to make it all worthwhile. When on placement you will find times when either your feet ache, you feel overwhelmed or just maybe you want to hide away, but you will equally get moments that make you think you are getting there.

So with 10 weeks left, I have a draft of my 4500 word project (currently sitting 1000 words over so need to do a lot of condensing!) and am on the hunt for a good scenario on placement for my next essay that is due in the middle of June. I am literally counting the days to that moment when all of my written work has been submitted and I may have a day or two off to rest up and be lazy!


So please make the most of your week off at the end of May if you get it, and the summer off (unless you are in that lovely position where you plan on working up until the point of starting the course!). I really look back now and think I took time off for granted, and each year that passed I promised myself I would be more organised the next and use my time more wisely. Don't plan too much or if you do, don't feel bad at actually doing things other than uni prep. Everyone needs to wind down and switch off sometimes, mine will be my two months off in summer! I will be doing nothing but packing to move and sunbathing!

No matter how many bank holidays or weekends you may find yourself working, just remember how much it will pay off in the end. Trust me, the three years fly by so if in doubt, count down towards summer and always make sure you have something to look forward to (and think of the money you are saving by not going out ;)

Hope all is good your end!
Emma x

Reality hits

Morning all!
 

Well, Christmas is just around the corner with just 16 days to go. The temperature has dropped, jack frost has started to make an appearance on the car windscreen and it is now a treat to see sunlight with my shifts starting before sunrise and finishing after sunset. But I can't complain, have a long weekend off to catch up with uni work and life a bit :) Feeling slightly less festive this year as resorted to doing all of my Christmas present shopping online rather than tackling town, but once this placement has finished i'm looking forward to donning my reindeer antlers and get into the spirit of the season.

So...this past week. I have had three long shifts at the hospital, 8weeks down, two to go. I also had a day working alongside the hospital's outreach team visiting poorly patients who the wards felt required extra input. Throughout this placement I have worked alongside a variety of healthcare professionals including the Parkinson's nurse specialist, discharge officer and endoscopy team. In my first year I felt quite nervous in approaching various teams and relied on my mentors to suggest people to work with, who also helped me in contacting them and arranging dates. But as time has progressed my confidence has built and I have realised that you really do need to embrace these opportunities as you will not have the chance to just take time out to observe when qualified. All wards have lists of contact numbers for each team, so there is no harm in asking your mentor whether it would be possible. Some teams may only take on third year students due to their specialist area, but there is no harm in trying. In year one I went to observe a post mortem and did not know what to expect, but in the end I found that the team in the mortuary were one of the most helpful friendly of anyone I had come across, and as I seem to learn better by seeing rather than writing, I found anatomy-wise it very useful.

 

On Thursday my class and the class 6months ahead of us were invited to attend a final year preparation session. This is where reality hit. We discussed how this current placement would be preparing us for our management placement, and management placement would then in tern be preparing us for being qualified nurses come September. During management we would be expected to assist and support 'younger' students, to be involved with the patient's full experience from admission to discharge, and to assist in the running of the ward. We also spoke about applying for jobs starting around next May time, and what the recruitment process within that hospital would be like. Preceptorship was also mentioned, which if you have not heard of this yet-it is the period of time after qualifying that you work alongside another mentor wherever you end up working to receive support in being confident in all areas of nursing until you can work independently. So basically in four months time I will be on my management placement, and five months until the jobs start appearing. Where is the time going?!

One thing I must say is when you do start your placements, don't worry about knowing everything. Yes, there is a lot to take in, but every area will have its own ways and own specialist area to focus on. You will not be expected to finish year 3 and know everything about every condition and every wound dressing or surgical procedure. So don't panic! Just take as much out of each placement as you can.

Well, on that note I am off to hunt for some more research for my degree project (the exciting life I do live at the moment!). It may be the last Christmas I have off for a while so want to get as much done beforehand so I can enjoy some much needed rest and catch up time with friends and family.

Will see you next time :)

Juggling student

Hello again!

I've titled this post 'juggling student' as you will find over time during your study that for any course which requires part work experience you will be required to multitask.

I have always been very much a give one thing 100% at any one time, but I have found (especially during year three) that you are expected to work on a number of things at once. As previously mentioned I am currently on my first placement of my final year, and am working three 12.5hr shifts each week-including night shifts. I previously worked full time prior to this course and shift work was not a new thing to me, but back then I had the luxury of being able to fill my days off with social life, duvet days and other activities; none of which included study.

This week for example, I got back on Monday from a long weekend away catching up with my partner and to watch a gig. On the Tuesday I had planned to sleep all day in preparation for a night shift...this did not happen (wide awake by 11am). Following my night shift I got home yesterday morning, had some food then attended a two hour lecture at uni before getting home and collapsing into bed after 27hrs conscious. I am on two long shifts over the weekend and am catching up on a bit of study today. Naturally I am drawn to sleeping through the whole of today, but as I have a degree project to work on and an essay due in January, I must convince myself to use any days off wisely, despite my body's attempts of rebelling.


Admittedly I only need to attend three short lectures throughout this 10week placement, and this taking place following a night shift is a rarity for me. Part of me has been tempted to write off a few days off to do absolutely nothing and catch up over Christmas leave, but then throughout January-March I will be having an exam, an OSCE and giving a presentation, so I will need to start prep for that also!

My motivation to keep going is that this time next year I will be graduating. In around six months time I will be applying for jobs ready for a September start. Everyone has their own motivations. But you also need to find your own ways of coping and own rewards. For some it is a holiday to Ibiza. Others a concert. For some students they are also mums and dads, and I cannot begin to understand how hard working they are...although from observation I feel they have adapted and are more able to multitask, but they deserve so much credit in my opinion. I have bite size rewards in place. I am not seeing my partner for another month, but instead he is my reward at the end of placement when Christmas begins. No matter how manic things get, remember to take time out and switch off! It will help keep you going!

Thanks for reading, will say hello next week for a catch up and hopefully post a video in the next few weeks if I can figure out how to use my webcam!

Emma x

First ever blog-hello!

Hi to anyone reading and welcome to my first post on my first ever blog :)

I am now into my third month of my last year of a nursing degree and panic has started to set in. For those new to knowing how this course is laid out, I will give you a quick overview.

Over three years you attend a combination of university and placement. During the university time you are required to complete various graded work, including essays, exams and OSCE's. I was unaware of what an OSCE was, but basically it is a type of role play examination, in which you are observed and assessed in a simulation environment carrying out a set number of nursing tasks. Don't worry-you will hear plenty more of these when you start!

For the rest of the time, you are out on placement. This could be in a number of locations-hospital, community, prison-who knows! But during this time you are assessed on your practical ability and knowledge and graded at the end by a mentor you are assigned during the placement.

In year one and two I felt a bit more relaxed coming into a placement as I felt I was a student. If I was unsure of something it was ok, as I was only a student so I had plenty of time to read up on the task or situation for next time. But going into my third year felt a bit more pressured, as surely my third year mentors and other staff would see me as a final year student, so I should know what I am doing. But what if I didn't have the answers? This time next year I will be qualified, so I should be on the path to knowing everything...but I'm far off from that!

Due to feeling my grades were strong enough, I switched from a diploma course to degree over the summer as this is the way nursing is going (or gone as those now starting the course will only have the option of degree). To cut a long story short-I now am on placement doing 12.5hr shifts while alternating on my days off between essay work, my degree project and trying to see my partner-so welcome to third year!

My future posts will be more about what has been going on that week, but thought it best to set the scene for those of you new to this area. I had not previously had any hospital or care experience, as had worked for 8years in various jobs (cabin crew, poker club valet, business centre, store work...dabbled in everything but care!). I felt inspired to apply as my Gran had experienced poor care in hospital, and I wanted to do a better job and make a difference. Unfortunately by the time I had been accepted onto the course she had passed away, but I still feel inspired by my original reasons for going into nursing-especially with the bad press the profession has received in recent years.

If I were to try to offer any words of 'wisdom' or advice for those just about to start...or maybe already have started, it would be this;

• Do any work you are given as soon as possible. Some people like to work on essays last minute and that is what works best for them as they seem to thrive on pressure, but you are guaranteed to be given random group tasks or worksheets to complete, so just try to stay on top of it.
• You may take year one for granted while you are in it. I did. I thought lecturers didn't response instantly or were not giving enough support, but year two showed me how much we did! Year two felt like we were more expected to go out and do things for ourselves, so try to take as much as you can during year one!
• If anything is worrying you-talk it through with someone. There is always support somewhere, from those you study with to lecturers and those at the hospital. I have been a course rep since I started and feel that the sooner you ask, the more time you have to sort the problem.
• When going into placements-eat and sleep well! If you go sick during placement you are expected to make up hours, so look after yourself! It'll be worth it to have the summer and Easter leave to yourself!
• Make the most of being a student. When out on placement-ring different teams, embrace the fact you have the time to observe procedures and specialist staff as you wont have when you qualify.
• Rely on your diary. It is your friend, it will help to organise your life!
•  Enjoy it x
• Read the NMC-The Code
• Be careful what you put on Facebook!

Nursing is not this...

                                                                     More this!


Well that's about it for my first blog. Hope to see you back for my next blog and if anyone at any time has a question about the course or anything I have written, please feel free to do so. I wish when I had started that we had been given the opportunity to talk to a student further in to have a little more insight of what was to come, so if you ever feel the same-hello!

Ttfn!

Emma x