Feeling rather positive :)

Evening All :)

Welcome to the end of the weekend...how have your been? Busy? Back at college in the morning or work? And how was your weekend?

Despite almost falling asleep as I type, I am feeling very positive. It's funny how your mind set can change completely from one week (or day) to the next.



Our company for the most of the 26miles

I've just got back from a weekend up North and we made it...26.6miles walk complete along Hadrian's Wall and it definitely was a challenge. One of the other girls I was with experienced quite a bit of pain but kept on going and we got to the end of the trek together and managed to raise around £800. My legs are extremely stiff today and I have a long shift tomorrow so I'm hoping that regular ibuprofen and muscle rub will keep me moving!

The week ahead is looking good though. Am only in for two long shifts tomorrow and Thursday which gives me a couple of days to tidy up my degree project and hopefully get it bound and submitted on Friday. The weekend will hopefully be spent writing up a plan to my next essay to get some support and then I can get started on that. I never used to submit plans of essays beforehand, but was encouraged to do so by a lecturer a while ago and it really has helped to keep me on track. I emailed the lecturer in charge of the unit for the next essay with two topic suggestions and received some really good feedback, along with the offer that if I put together a plan she would happily advise me on any key points before I start to write it. If you do end up going to the UoB, make sure you make the most of your lecturers. The unit information tends to state that you need to submit plans a minimum of a couple of weeks before the essay is due, but it is worth it as I have known on a few occasions students to submit a very well written essay but receive low marks or even a fail due to going completely off topic so lecturer advice can hopefully reduce this risk!

When you are on placement, a support (link) lecturer usually visits the hospital on a weekly basis, so if you need any help or advise regarding placement, they are always available. We also can attend a monthly student forum at the hospital giving us the opportunity to raise issues and have an hour of teaching from a member of the hospital staff (it was the blood transfusion nurse on this occasion). We were told that the jobs for the Luton & Dunstable hospital are now up on the NHS Jobs website for those qualifying in September, so there is a general buzz of excitement and anticipation amongst the students. The link for the advert can be found by clicking here, and it may be worth a look just to get some idea of what they tend to look for. As seen in the advert that despite being a public advert, they aim it at the UoB students only which was definitely a course selling point for applying to this course!

Right, I best be off as will be up early and may fall asleep on this keyboard otherwise! Hope you all have a nice week!

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

Happy Friday!

Hey people!

How is everyone? Good week? Curious as to whether you've been offered a place on the course yet or are still deciding/waiting....it may feel like time is dragging but appreciate the summer off as it will fly by!

Well I have had a productive(ish) week that started better than it seems to be ending! I had my two hour written exam on Monday which I feel went well. After nine A4 pages of answers (and a cramp in my hand) I left feeling like I had answered the questions as much as I could. The scenario was based on an elderly gentleman with a long-term condition and you needed to consider different things in relation to the care you would offer, as well as having some knowledge on the drugs listed. All I can do is sit back and await the result over the next few weeks.

That evening I had an early night as I would be getting up at 5.30am ready for my first 7am shift of my management placement. I was booked in to work 7am-2.50pm on Tuesday and Wednesday to get in some early hours and work alongside my co-mentor on the ward. Pleased to say that I really enjoyed the environment and the staff were lovely. Not back until the 15th April but feeling optimistic.

Yesterday I decided to have a bit of a mellow day, having a clean around, giving the dog a good walk and getting my work out ready to get started today. Then today arrived and I have felt seriously unproductive! I made a plan of my degree project and wrote my introduction but then distraction mode set in. Any excuse to not be typing I opted for. By 2 o'clock I had opted for a nice bath and to write this blog. I mentioned last week that I was an 'all or nothing' type of worker in terms of my written work, and this was definitely a nothing day. Rather than sit and become more frustrated, I have written the working day off and will get started afresh with a better mindset tomorrow (hopefully!). I have this weekend, Monday and Wednesday set aside for this project but am out in London on Tuesday and have a practice walk with two people from university on Thursday ready for our charity walk. I was determined to have a draft of my project complete by next Wednesday (4,500 words!) but hey...if I don't manage it I can't beat myself up about it. Would be nice though!



Don't forget to put your clock forward an hour on Sunday :)

Anyway, I am going to get off of this laptop before I time waste any further by spending more money on internet shopping! So so easy to do!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend...its due to be nice and warm so make the most of it and think of me sitting at my desk looking out at the sunshine!

Thanks for reading!
Em x