Community Placement...Year 2 Week 43

Hiya guys hope you're all well?

Sorry for being MIA, went home for Christmas and really been valuing my time with friends and family :).

So I started my community placement last week and so far I absolutely love it! The staff are all so lovely and friendly, plus it's so chilled compared to working on the ward. Which is something I'm really enjoying as it's coming to the end of my 2nd year and I don't want anything too demanding before I start my 3rd year.

The thing with community is you care for people in their own home, so it's a totally different environment and often enough; it's not really suitable for medical practice.
For example: I went to visit a woman with my mentor, she was morbidly obese and bed bound and her husband was not one for 'cleanliness' shall we say. Long story short the floor and the husbands feet were covered in dog hair and poo and the dog weed and pooed on cue for us! How pleasant.

The main thing with that kind of nursing is to remember to not be judgemental; people live their lives in many different ways and just because that may not be how you would choose to live doesn't mean it's wrong.

I also cleaned and dressed a mans leg ulcers. They were in such a bad way the exudate was horrendous! Was fun though :D haha.

Anyway I will be sure to keep updating you with anything new or exciting that happens :)

Take care my lovelies xx

So Much for Working...Year 2 Week 35

Ah so work haven't found me any shifts so far this weekend, great!

Not gunna lie I'm more than content with lounging around all weekend but it's such a waste of time (and money!).

Ta for now,

x Alex x

Exam Results...Year 2 Week 35

So I got my exam results for a Nursing Practice 2 yesterday...

76.5% !!!!! Which is a 1st!!

I'm so happy because I did revise quite a bit for that and now I have a good 1st to take forward to third year. Whoop whoop.

Today I also handed in my Evidence Based Practice and Professional Values assignment. I reckon I will get about 50% as I always struggle with assignments. We shall see :) it's really good to have all of that weight lifted of my shoulders though.

I'm working all weekend as I'm totally skint and need to work otherwise no one is receiving any prezzies from me ha ha.

Really want to get back into blogging as I love reaching out to others who are considering a nursing career, studying or qualified! Plus, I really like to look back and see what was happening with my life at that time.

Hope you're all well,

x Alex x

Back in Uni...Year 2 Week 35

Hey guys I've not written for ages!
I'm back in Uni at the moment with lots of work so I've been really busy.

I've done my Nursing Practice 2 exam and get my results tomorrow! Ahhhh. I'll let you know :)

I have an assignment on evidence based practice due on Friday and then a maths exam and an OSCE at the beginning of January.

The year started off so slow and now it's all BAM BAM BAM loads of work!

Ah well, can't wait to get this year over with :) it's flying by.

How are are you first year nurses doing? Hope you're enjoying your first year.

Alex x

Horrible Assignments...And sorry for being MIA...Year 2 Week 28

So last week I got my results for the assignment I was discussing in my last post...

40%!

So gutted, basically I did really badly but not bad enough to fail, I JUST passed.

My flat mates failed! We are all very disappointed but I knew I wasn't going to get higher than 50% as there was a lack of guidance and I didn't have the opportunity for a tutoring session as I was back home for the summer.
Fortunately, that mark doesn't have to go towards my final degree thank The Lord!

I am also really sorry for being missing in action recently. I have been really busy!
I'm currently on placement, only 2 weeks left now I can't wait to finish. Time is flying nowadays and it's pretty scary tbh.

I hope you are all well?
Promise to post more often, loves xxxxx

Assignment Done and Handed In...Year 2 Week 23

Sorry I didn't post again until now, I'll just talk you through how it went.

I was really shocked at the lack of guidance, for example, I hadn't even seen a real care plan until I wrote my own!
I spoke to a few friends and everyone said the same thing, they had no idea what they were 'supposed' to be doing but were trying their hardest.

The care plans weren't hard, but when you are really unfamiliar with something it can seem difficult, the rationales weren't my forte. I have an issue with writing essays without becoming chatty and colloquial, it's very annoying and I actually don't know how to stop it!

The mother and baby leaflet was really enjoyable to make and once again the rationale was probably a load of chatty crap.

The worst part of any assignment is by far........writing the references, hate it!

But at least it's done now, I'll let you know my mark but I think I will have got 50% if I'm extremely lucky :(

Hope you're all well,
Alex xxx

Time to be Studious... Year 2 Week 21

So I have an assignment due in 9 days and today I have set myself the task of reading through all the material they have given us. And to be honest, there isn't much guidance at all!

I have to produce 2 care plans for a make believe patient and write a rationale for each, then I have to make a 500 word leaflet about mother and baby and then write another rationale for that.  All in all it sounds like a piece of pie.....

But not when you have no clue what you are doing!

I'll update you once I've read the material.

Ta ta for now amigos

Nx Alex x

Off on Holiday! ...Year 2 Week 17

Hey guys, just to let you know I'm off on holiday from Tuesday for 2 weeks!
Going with my boyfriend to stay with my Nan in Portugal (I'm half Portuguese) and can't wait!
Sun, Sea and Suspicious Nan ;) hahaha

Hope you're all well and don't miss me (too much)

Bye for now!
Alex xxx

Halfway Through...Year 2 Week 16

Just to say...I'm halfway through my course!

Not that I'm counting....


Alex x

Summertime ...Year 2 Week 16

Hi guys hope you are all well :) I just want to thank you all so much for reading my blog, I see all of the views and it makes me very very happy :) I recorded an updated nursing blog for my channel and I'll link you to it when I put it up :)

Well, I'm into my 3rd week at home and I haven't done anything study-wise; just loving this time off. It's the last summer off I'll ever have! (Until I retire haha)

Feeling a total 2nd year slog; basically a complete lack of motivation. It really doesn't feel like I'll be moving back to birmingham, I'm so happy at home! Miss my friends though.

Leave me a comment if you like, let me know about your situation :)
Thank
Alex

I'm home! ...Year 2 Week 14

I'm finally home for the summer, yippee!

For the next 4 weeks I am supposed to be on Community Scoping Experience (CSE) which is our time to choose what we want to do with it. My mum is a health visitor supervisor so has organised a few bits and bobs for me, but we'll see if the people drop out or not. But I will be starting next week and am looking forward to getting an idea of my mums role at work :)

So on Friday I finished the first 3 months of uni. 12 weeks solid of university which was honestly driving me crazy! I have loads of work to crack on with to prepare for assignments and exams later on in the year, so I definitely have a lot to be doing in the next 2 months! Hope I do actually do it.... ;)

Anyways, I'm very excited as in 1 months time I will be halfway through my entire training! It's hopefully all downhill from there-on (in a good way) scary to think I will be responsible for people lives though! Ahhh

Hope you guys are all well!
Muchos luvos, Alex x

I Got the Job!...Year 2 Week 11

Yay! I got the job as bank house auxilary!
Very pleased with myself :)

I worked all weekend and I'm so so tired waaah but nevermind, it's money!
Got loads of uni this month which is kinda crap, but only 2 more weeks until uni is over until November :O I have loads of assignments though, oh well!

I hope you're all well guys and still enjoying my blog. I know it's a little brief but I will make my next one more in-depth :)

Love, Alex x

I went for a New Job...Year 2 Week 10

Hello all!
I had an interview on Monday for in-house bank staff as a HCA. Hopefully I do get it as it's slightly better pay, I get proper uniform and I can get lots of different training which will benefit me in the long run.
But...I really am not that bothered! I took a look on the website the night before but didn't even practice THE question "why do you want to work for us" lol! Oh well we shall see haha. I have the same job anyways and I work in the same hospital but its just an outside agency.

Last week was annual leave which was lovely :) got to go home and spend time with my family, boyfriend and his family. Love his little nephews :)

Well anyways I have uni tomorrow morning and will then hopefully work a late and an early on Friday. Fingers crossed!

Hope you are all well :) x Alex x

It's a 1st!! ...Year 2 Week 9

Sorry I've been MIA recently guys! Not really feeling my 2nd year tbh. Don't feel properly involved at all!

But I do have some really really good news...I got a 1st in my first assessment of 2nd year which is especially important because it actually counts towards my final grade.

A group of us (4) had to make a poster that analysed an article of our choice and we had to present it. We got 70% which is exactly a 1st, so basically it was very good and worthy of a 1st, but only just.

I am really happy though! I am currently on annual leave but then have a month's worth of uni believe it or not!

Still feeling impatient as ever about qualifying....wish I didn't feel that way though :(

Hope you are all well,
Lots of love,
Alex x

Weekend Work...Year 2 Week 2

So! I worked a long day yesterday (Saturday) that's 07:00-19:30.

I was on the male side of a ward called AMU think it stood for Assessment Medical Unit. Where patients who are about to breach A&E are sent while waiting for a bed on the ward they need.
So I spent most of the day cleaning and changing beds! Haha

Although a long day like that really exhausts you it was an OK day, the staff were lovely and the work was quite easy.

There was a patient who's foot was completely to one side, so weird! I don't know the cause as he had difficulty explaining it to me. I can't find any pictures to show you, but imagine the bottom of your right foot facing the wall when you are standing. It really was extreme!

Hope you're all well!
Alex xx