What it's like being on Management (sign off) Placement... Year 3 Week 39

Management or 'sign off' is what your final placement as a student nurse is referred to. This is because on this placement you are expected to manage the ward (coordinate) and then be 'signed off' by your mentor who says 'this student is safe to become a qualified practitioner'.
How exciting! And slightly daunting...

So at my university this placement is 12 weeks long. 8 weeks of normal placement and then your final 4 weeks is considered the 'sign off' period.

By the time you get to this placement you will be shocked at the knowledge you have built up and how capable you actually are. Of course you will make mistakes, forget to do something or make a fool of yourself, that is part-and-parcel of being a student and you will still do this when qualified! No-one is perfect so don't work yourself up over small things.

What you will be able to do by the time you reach the final 1/3 of this placement is the following:
-Manage patients care including = observatoins, BMs, referrals, liaise with Dr's and members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), medications (under supervision), dressings, care plans, note writing and documentation.
-Coordinate the ward with your mentor (admissions, discharges, liaise with outside agencies to get patients home asap, eg. district nurses, recovery at home etc)
-Manage your own workload and act with initiative at all times!

There's probably more because nurses do so much more than what is defined by NMCs code of conduct, as you will find out.

My biggest tip? Be openminded, motivated and enthusiastic. Make a conscious effort to get on with EVERYONE. It really helps to get everyone on your side, it makes your life easier and it makes the days more enjoyable.

If you feel like you are lacking in an area, then read! Do research, ask questions, ask more questions, it's up-to you to develop yourself!

By the time you are on this placement people often 'leave you to it' because you are expected to be practicing your skills not learning them. therefore prepare yourself in the placement prior to this one, try and learn all you can so you are in the position to just perfect your work and learn more about everything else.

It's complicated and may sound daunting but you will be ready! Never be scared to say you don't know something.

Girls and boys you will make it and you will be fine, I can vouch for that! Just try and get on a ward you enjoy with staff you get on with. You will become part of the team after 3 months.

I hope that has helped some of you :)

Take care,
Alex xxx

I'VE GOT A JOB and a 1ST!... Year 3 Week 39

Hello everyone,
I'm so so sorry it's been 5 months. To be honest I'm just spiting myself because this is a wonderful resource to look back on and identify my progress, and by not updating I'm almost losing a section of my progression. Oh well, I'm back now.

I hope you've all had a wonderful Christmas!?

As you can see by the title, I am far into my 3rd and final year of adult nursing now. And guess what... I got myself that 1st class degree! I can't believe I've done it, but I am so so happy.
During my A-Levels I was very disinterested and not engaged at all, I ended up with 3 Cs. I was so disappointed and felt very much put down, so to actually put a lot of effort in and achieve a 1st class bachelor of science degree I finally feel like I've proven myself :).
Not only that, but I have 4 weeks of placement left, 1 week of uni and then it's all finally over!

This is from my last post, but I thought I'd put it in here too to give some perspective:
8 weeks of uni - done
1 week A/L - done (went to IBIZA woooo)
9 weeks of placement - done
6 weeks of uni - done
1 week A/L - done
12 weeks placement - doing
1 week uni

And then...FINITO!

The modules I've done this year are as follows, along with results:
Nursing Practice 4 (exam) - 87%
Policy, Politics and Nursing (assignment) - 65%
Transition to Qualified Practitioner (Presentation) - 52%
Academic and Practice Enquiry (Dissertation) - a/w

My strengths are definitely exams and as you can see I managed to improve my academic writing to a 2:1 standard which I'm extremely proud of (since this was and always has been my downfall). I got my presentation mark back last week, I'm happy with 52% because it got me my 1st overall, but the module itself wasn't explained very well and resulted in many of my colleagues failing :(.

Even more exciting news...I've got a job!
I got a job on my management placement ward, and then I got a job back home which I've accepted and will be starting at the end of March (so long as I pass my dissertation). I'm really pleased and so happy that I get to move home. The job is on a gastroenterology and dermatoloy ward with respiratory outliers. It is quite acute and I'm looking forward to learning a lot.

I think I'll make a separate post on my interview experiences and advise for others? Hopefully it will be helpful to you all.

Well I'm back with a super long post but I hope you all enjoy reading!

Take care,
Alex x

Placement as a 3rd Year... Year 3 Week 17

Hey guys!

It's been far too long and I have no excuse as for why! Here's some info on what makes up my 3rd and final year :)

8 weeks of uni - done
1 week A/L - done (went to IBIZA woooo)
9 weeks of placement - doing
6 weeks of uni
1 week A/L
12 weeks placement
1 week uni

*DONE*

How mad is that guys? As for assessments here's what it looks like:
Nursing Practice 4 - 2h exam on subdural haemorrhage and anaphylaxis (30 credits)
Policy and Politics - 3,000 word assignment (30 credits)
Dissertation - 6,000 word literature review (30 credits)
Transition to Qualified Practioner - 10q numeracy exam and presention (30 credits)

3 of my modules will make up my final classification along with my best grade from 2nd year (76.5%).


So, atm I'm on CCU (coronary care unit) which includes a ward setting and an acute CCU. I'm enjoying it and feel like I have a lot of knowledge to gain from the staff and patients. But I do feel I am becoming more capable and the role of a staff nurse is only just out of my grasp.

Hope you are all well and I'll make sure to update you on my progress :)

Really struggling to revise atm because of a lack of motivation, an exam, an assignement and placement all at once! Phew.

Seeya x

Oh my Good God... Year 3 Week 4

1 - I can't believe I haven't blogged in so long

2 - I can't believe I'm technically in year 3!!

3 - I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S NOT BUTTER

Since my placement finished I've been at home just enjoying having nothing to do! I've been working a small amount in the local community hospital as a HCA but mostly just relaxing and spending time with friends and family.
Oh I also turned 21!! Woohoo.

I'm back to Birmingham on Sunday as I start my introductory week on Monday :)

Supposed to have done CAP (consolidation and preparation) work but so far I've done none.....don't tell!

Also I have decided I will be writing my dissertation around the topic of COPD. Scary times ahead everyone.

Anyways I hope you're all well and once I'm back in Uni for my final year I'll give you some more information on what I am actually doing :)

Thanks guys,
Alex x

Finally, coming to the end!...Year 2 Week 49

I only have 4 days left!!!

An 8 week placement in the community is such a long time. It's very repetitive but I'm glad I've had it as a placement because my wound knowledge is so much better now.

Can't wait for it to end now :):) I get to go home!!!

Hope you're all ok, having a really boring weekend sat in the flat on my own....pray for me!

xx Alex xx

Female Catheterisation...Year 2 Week 48

I've had a really good day on placement today :)

Managed to FINALLY do a female catheterisation woohoo!! (Never thought I'd be excited about putting a tube up a lady's who-ha!).

And the nurse I was with today let me take control so I basically did everything minus compression bandaging. I was calling the patients, calling the GP, writing up requests for prescriptions etc. felt like a proper little nurse :):).

Also, I was given a go at compression bandaging yesterday, was interesting! Obviously I was supervised 100% but it was a good experience.

Happy Ali

Still can't wait for placement to be over though haha

Hope you're all okie dokie?

xxAlex xx

This Seriously Annoys Me!!...Year 2 Week 47

When someone asks you to call somewhere about a patients results. They give you no extra info, nothing about what the results you're looking for actually are or what they mean.

I had this today and the receptionist who answered said she had no medical training so didn't know what I was asking for and I'm thinking NEITHER DO I!! So I had to give the phone to the nurse who went far and wide to introduce herself (which she never does usually) and explaining blah blah blah. Loads of info she didn't give me so obviously I wasn't going to be competent on the phone.

Basically she showed me up big time which I didn't appreciate!

The annoying thing is, I'm very capable, and so long as you explain to me what you want me to do etc I will do it to the best of my ability.

So yeah! Shown up and annoyed today.