Neeeeee nawwww – my day out with the ambulance service

Earlier this month, I was lucky enough to spend the day with the ambulance service – that is, I got to spend a day driving  (I wasn’t the driver)  – aka sitting –  in an ambulance.

When I originally applied to spend a day with the service, I was really excited…all those accidents and traumas and exciting things to see and do!  As time got closer, I was much more apprehensive, and actually, not really looking forward to it…not sure why! That feeling was made worse by the fact that we were specifically told by the organisers not to phone the ambulance station prior to our day with them, but to just turn up on the day, with our documentation. Just like that.

This is unusual as we are always advised to do the opposite prior to a placement, in order to let placement know we are coming along and give them a chance to prepare and us a chance to ask any questions. I would have liked to have asked about what to wear (warm clothes? layers?), what to bring (fob watch? thermometer? pen and paper?), and where to park. I just wore my student nurse uniform in the end and extra layers. I took my PAD (Practice Assessment Document) so someone could sign my hours and I used Google Streetview to try to figure out where to park. Thank goodness for assertiveness and the internet! I felt like I had achieved something incredible just by turning up on time. Go me.

I was also a little apprehensive because after my 12 hour shift with the paramedics, I had to go straight to placement for a 7 hour twilight shift until 3 am. This made my working day just under 21 hours long. Not doing the twilight would have meant being out of sync with my mentor’s shifts for several days and/or being down on hours so I did not feel like I had much of a choice. It felt ok – it was a busy day but I think that’s better when you have a lot of hours to work! It goes quicker  – plus the lovely paramedic gave me an energy drink to keep me going!

So how did it go?

It was much much better than anticipated. The ‘crew’  (that’s not street talk, that’s what the paramedics are referred as!) did not know I was coming but were welcoming and friendly. Much more so than some nurses at some placements actually. I went out on an ambulance (or van/bus as it’s better known) with a paramedic (D) and with an EMT 2 (A). I hadn’t actually realised that not everyone who drives an ambulance and attends 999 calls is a paramedic. In fact, only about 50% of the men and women in green who attend emergency calls are paramedics. There other 50% are comprised of Emergency Technicians (EMT 1) who are the most junior, and Senior Emergency Technicians (EMT 2). Currently all EMT 2s must top up to be a paramedic but there is no ‘upgrade’ route for EMT 1s. They are all extremely professional and competent, you won’t be any lesser cared for if one attends and the other doesn’t – there is just a small difference of the types of treatment and medications that EMTs can give – plus only paramedics are registered  like doctors and nurses – EMTs are not.  Interesting stuff eh?

We attended a number of calls – though no road traffic accident or serious incidents or traumas. My experience is that, believe it or not, the scary/exciting stuff really only happens on a daily basis in Casualty/Holby City/Grey’s Anatomy/ER. Most of the real life 999 calls generally relate to chest pain (possible heart attack, angina), shortness of breath (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), general weakness and unwellness (mostly in older people), abdominal pain, and then anything from collapses to sore hands.

What did I do?

Observed mostly! I had an Observer’s jacket so it was really quite obvious what I was doing there! I helped carry the equipment which made me feel quite powerful actually. I cannot image how big and mighty the police feel carrying all their bits and bobs! I also helped with vehicle checks such as medication counts, stocking it with blankets, sick bowls etc.. and I did most of the observations of vital signs, including manual BP and blood sugars. I was a little rusty at doing manual blood pressures but found myself cracking it again in no time! I was also in charge of doing the 12 lead ECGs. I’m really quite good at doing these now since I do many of these every day in my current placement. I don’t really know how to read them but would be able to see if someone was having a heart attacvk which is the most vital thing. I also learnt a new skill…my main responsibility for the day was working the tail lift 🙂 Up…and down…..up…and down…. When I wasn’t doing one of those very important tasks I was doing the most critical thing of all and I was talking to patients and comforting them.

I was tempted to ask if I could have a go at driving the big ambulance but I resisted. The ambulances can be automatic or manual and as part of core training, all crew members  get driving skills lessons which they must pass but from what I gather it is quite intense so  I doubt A & D would have let me drive anyway! I did however, get to press the button which switches on the blue lights and the sirens .That was fun! I didn’t get to go on the Fast Response cars so I have no idea what they do – other than attend really serious incidents which require an extremely fast response (get it?) …for example, someone losing consciousness.

What have I learnt?

Well, as I mentioned before,  not everyone in an ambulance and wearing green is a paramedic but I will continue to refer to them as that in this blog for now…too many words otherwise! Not that it matters because they are all super skilled and brilliant, though I suppose it matters to them….anyway! They also have a lot of responsibility – from getting to the right place quickly to carrying out accurate assessments –  and managing to do all of that with silly drivers doing silly things all over the place; and then having to climb up trillions of stairs because the lift doesn’t work; or not being able to get into the property and having to phone the police to force entry etc… Much like District Nurses, working in other people’s homes can be challenging, but paramedics also have to deal with other unusual or difficult to reach places. Their work can be anywhere and in general, the crew rarely know exactly what they are going to – the triage (initial assessment) which comes through on the ambulance system is really not very in depth….and yet, time is of the essence! How stressful is that?

There is also a loooooooooooot of waiting around. If the crew decides to take someone to hospital, the crew must stay by their side until they are handed over to nurses and doctors. So if there are no beds in hospital for the patient, then the crew go nowhere! Imagine spending your entire shift standing in a corridor in a hospital with a poorly patient and not being able to go and help anyone else. How frustrating that must be.

So, all in all, I had a super brilliant day and now that I understand just how much they do, I intend on being extra understanding and nice (not that I wasn’t before). You should do the same, if you ever need the ambulance service  – for an emergency that is – please be nice! They do an incredible job and we should all be very grateful that gone are the days when we have to be carted off to hospital in the local mechanic’s van.

2013 – what a year!

I’m currently in the middle of tidying my flat, to make room for my Christmas pressies but also for all the stuff that I will no doubt be collecting in the next few months. I’m a little bit of a hoarder I think and I want to start the new year with a clean and tidy flat and as a result, I hope, a clean and tidy mind too (ooooh I’m not insinuating that I otherwise have a dirty mind…you know what I mean!)

Whilst tidying I have come across lots of reminders of the last 12 months, and I feel a little bit nostalgic now. I’m not really very sure whether to make another list of resolutions for 2014. I did pretty well with last year’s list…and frankly, I had such an astonishing 2013 that I am a little concerned that I will crash and burn like a lead balloon if I try and top it. On reflection, I’m not sure I have ever had a better, more productive and accomplished year! I have written about some of these before, but this is a more definitive list now that the year is over so it’s ok…haha!

January – The first month of the year was a bit of a funny one really. I’m not sure I enjoyed it very much. If I did I can’t find much evidence of it! What I do remember though is that I was exhausted for the first few days following NYE at Disnleyland Paris and I also remember that as part of my new year resolutions, I got my first part time job to do alongside my nursing course. I have been doing the job of an outreach ambassador for widening participation for a year now and I absolutely love it. I get to meet young people who aspire to go into higher education and my role is to advice, guide and inspire them to do so, but really, they inspire me and remind me that hard work, enthusiasm and passion is everything you need to achieve your goals.

February – Completed my very first Nursing placement. At the time, I found it very challenging. In hindsight, and in comparison to many of my other placements, it was probably the best first placement I could have had and in fact, I now like it so much that I often return to the same practice area to do agency work as a support worker. During February, I also attended a research conference about Neurofibromatosis and encountered so many incredible people who manage under the most difficult of circumstances every day. I was so taken by them that I made it my quest to learn more. I was subsequently able to arrange a few days with the genetics team at a major hospital to better understand the condition and its impact. I believe in making the most our of every contact and opportunity and would I have not attended the conference, I wouldn’t have got to learn as much as I did during those few days. I intend on writing a reflective piece on my experience when I pull my finger out and stop procrastinating! My favourite little dude was also born in February, it’s lovely being ‘auntie Ruthie’ even if I don’t get to see him very often.

March – Busy month! I did my skydive for The Together Trust and raised a whooping £500 for the charity. It felt like a very long day but I thoroughly enjoyed it and not only was it for charity, but it was also one of those things to tick off the proverbial checklist. It is not every day that you can say you have jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet just for laughs. In March I also went to watch Girls Aloud on their final tour and was mightily disappointed with Sarah Harding’s pants performance….the others were good though and it was fab to spend time with my girls! During March I started my application to work as a support worker…little did I know that it would be another 5 months until the recruitment process would be complete! Better late than never I suppose and I am making good use of the flexibility now. It was also the month that my first blog for national nursing magazine was published.

April – Visited my favourite little dude for the first time! I hadn’t seen his mum and dad for a very long time so it was amazing to catch up! For the first time, I attended the Royal College of Nursing Congress and it was fantastic. I hope to go again next year and soak up the atmosphere and the debates! I have no idea what else I did in April. I must have been catching up on my sleep or revising for exams. Probably a combination of the two! Clearly it was a lovely quiet month which I have no doubt was well needed at the time.

May – Celebrated my birthday! I do love birthdays. We went for lovely Spanish food and then for cocktails. It was a lovely mix of people from my previous work, past jobs, current uni course, family and loyal friends. I could not have asked for more! May was also the month that I found out that I was to become the first ever student nurse to have won an essay prize from the College of Medicine. I came joint third. I have never been so surprised and shocked! It had been a while since I had written a proper essay and whilst I always enjoyed writing, I can’t say that I ever expected to win. I also attended the Student Nursing Times Awards with university and could not have been prouder to have been present when MMU won best nursing education provider of the year. Well deserved! I also became a Student Quality Ambassador sharing quality initiatives across the NHS and university to improve care and service delivery.

June – Went to see my grandma is Spain and spent the whole time there ill with flu. But nonetheless it was lovely to see her. I made a promise to her that I would try and see her every year and I will try my best to honour that promise. On my return from Spain, still suffering with woman flu, I attended to College of Medicine Annual Conference to pick up my essay prize certificate. I spent my prize money on car repairs because that’s just how cool I am and how i roll 😉

July – Started my second placement of my first year which I absolutely loved. My mentor was brilliant and I felt like I could finally be a little bit useful… it was a great feeling! During this month I also found out that I had come first at another essay competition. This was even more of a surprise because I had entered it on a whim. I’m forever grateful for all the support that I got from the teaching staff at university. In particular one specific lecturer, who is always willing to read my work, critique my writing and provide feedback so that I can push myself further each time. I tell her how much I appreciate her taking the time to help me but I’m not sure she realises just how much it means to me. I also attended lots of other nursing related workshops and conferences. I’m not sure if other student nurses do the same but I find them invaluable to keep up to date with current issues and challenges. 

August – Completed my last placement and all my work for the first year of my nursing course! Yey! One down, 2 to go! After months and month and months of dealing with the recruitment process for my agency job, I finally received my uniform to be able to book shifts as a support worker in my local hospital. This has proven to be a real life line for me. It has given me even more confidence out on placement but has also helped me out quite a bit financially. I can pick shifts as and when I want them which really helps. In fact, as I’m writing this I’m trying to figure out how long I have before I have to go and nap in preparation for a shift I have tonight. For me though, August was probably the highlight of my academic year. I won the University’s  Ede & Ravenscroft Prize for Academic Excellence. Out of 40,000 students in my university, I was one of only 2 winners of the prize in 2013. Well…. if that’s not a slap in the face for anyone who thinks that my hard work is pointless and unrewarding then I don’t know what it. I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I will not lower my standards and refute success to please those who are narrow minded and old fashioned enough to think that nurses cannot be equally academic and practical. I am. Here’s is proof. So there.

September – Attended the wedding of year in Texas, USA. I had such an amazing time and met so many incredible people. The hosts could not have been more accommodating and I miss them terribly! I will never forget how much my legs were sweating as I stood by the altar waiting for the bride – it was a little hot! but I’m not one to complain about the heat.. I love it! Also passed my first year of nursing and started my second year…which to be honest is a bit strange – I’m a little unsure on whether I’m enjoying it or not. I’m working just as hard and keeping my head done so I’m taking that to mean that I’m as passionate as ever about nursing and I’m just as dedicated to doing to best that I can.

October – I think October was mostly spent settling back into uni after placement/holidays. I also spent it campaigning to become a Delegate for the National Union of Students. I won alongside another 8 delegates and that means I get to go to a big conference next April to vote on issues which affect students. I’m particularly proud that I managed to get enough votes considering how notoriously difficult it is to reach and engage student nurses, and also considering I was not on campus at the time, nor anywhere near the hub of the elections. I’m specially proud that i managed to extend the elections after finding a glitch in the voting system… I ain’t letting anything stand in the way of my votes! Democracy and all the jazz 😉

November – Another crazy charity event! This time, I did a fire walk (walked on hot coals) and it was a fun night out! Two of my friends joined me in the fun and we had lots and lots of supporters who came to cheer us on! . During November I also found out that my first paper has been accepted for publishing (Perez-Merino, 2013) Yes Sirreeeee! I’m an author! Will keep you posted on when it’s out in print 😉

December – Started my first placement of my second year in probably one of the most demanding and fast-paced practice areas you can think of. It’s a tough one for me I have to admit, but I am surprising myself at how much I am learning and how quickly I am picking things up. I certainly don’t feel like a complete novice but I do feel out of my depth….but…onwards and upwards! It’s an amazing learning opportunity and I am making the most out of it. I celebrated Christmas with loved ones and cooked a huge Christmas meal. This has been one of the most relaxing, and simply lovely Christmases ever. I hope it’s a sign to come! can get, and in fact, have created a funding page just in case anyone wants to help me along. http://www.gofundme.com/5yti6s author! Will keep you posted on when it is out on print. I also booked my elective placement to Peru. I’m a little nervous about it because it’s so far away but I’m sure that I will have an incredibly time. Now I just need to buckle up and pay it all off. I will need all the pennies I can get!

So that’s that for 2013, I’m sure there are lots of other things that went on that I have not written about..that doesn’t mean they weren’t as important, or as fun or as meaningful. It just means that those memories are kept in an extra special holding place 🙂 or they may just not be appropriate for public consumption…..

Happy New Year! I hope 2014 brings all my readers and followers all the happiness, laughter and love in the world xx

Elective Placement booked…Peru here I come!

I’m completely trying to avoid doing any uni work today so I thought I would update my blog. Great idea eh? I suppose that I’m still talking/writing about uni and nursing so that counts as directed study…yes? Yes.

In any case..I wanted to tell you a little about my exciting news!

Throughout our nursing education pre-registration, we spend 50% of our time on placement…you know…doing hands on stuff and applying all that lovely theory into real life situations. We are allocated placements based on the requirements from the Nursing and Midwifery Council with the aim to get exposure to different (by no means all) areas of nursing (community/acute/medical/surgical etc…).However…during our second year as student nurses, we are given the opportunity to arrange our own placement. This is what we refer to as our ‘elective’. For us, this can be anything from 2 days to 4 weeks and so long as there is a nurse involved, it can take shape as almost anything… we can go to a mental health placement, paediatrics  military…you name it! The world is our oyster! It’s a great opportunity to get exposure to nursing areas which we may not otherwise experience, or, if unlike me, you know what type of nursing you want to be practicing upon registration, its a great chance to test the waters in that particular area.

As the title may suggest. I have booked my elective placement! I decided to go to Peru and you know what…I am so excited!! It may sound like a bit of an extravagant trip away, and well, it is definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity, but the point is, I have the opportunity to do it so I am! Here are my reasons for choosing my placement and Peru:

– I speak Spanish fluently and I think that, as future nurses, we have to be resourceful and use every skill that we have. I want to develop my language skills and learn clinical/medical terminology in Spanish. I don’t think that my ability to speak the same language will make it much easier. I don’t purposely like to make things difficult to myself, but I do like a challenge. The Spanish spoken in South America is very different to the Spanish spoken in Spain. It is my view that even when you speak the same language (irrespective of accent/vocabulary/dialects) there are always communication issues and barriers. How many times have you misunderstood what someone else was saying in your own language because of tone/body language? So no, it won’t be easy but hopefully, it will mean that I’m a little bit more clued up on what’s going on if I can understand what’s being said.

– Why Peru and not Spain? Well, I lived in Spain for 11 years and I visit one or twice a year. I wanted a change of scenery. Once I have been to South America I will have been to every continent in the world with the exception of Antarctica. That can be next on my hit list. I also wanted to move away from the luxuries we enjoy every day and go back to nursing essentials. By that I mean the luxury of free health care and complete accessibility to services at our doorsteps. I’ll be going to placement in Cusco, a city in southeastern Peru, near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range, where there is a real lack of quality health care that is affordable. 

– My degree is in Adult Nursing, so I wanted exposure to family and children’s nursing. My placement will be at a small hospital that specialises in meeting the needs of families and children in Cusco and the people from the outlying areas of Sacred Valley. The hospital specialises in family medicine, children, some preventative health care, and  provides specialised clinical services in areas such as general medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, neurology, obstetrics, dental, and more depending of the specialist available. They also have a small infirmary, day emergency room, triage, well baby care, and psychological care. They clinic see around 150 to 180 patients daily. Are you jealous yet?

– I wanted to go on my own, and somewhere that wasn’t going to be full of students…I don’t mean that to sound like I would have hated it if someone else would have come along with me but I wanted it to be a brand new, fresh experience for me…so I avoided places where everyone else was going (Tanzania/Sri Lanka/Nepal). Haha! 

– I was not willing to pay through the nose for the trip. Word of warning…yes..you may want to go to a third world country with the aim to make a difference and go back to basics but many of the companies out there that will help you to make that happen will make an immense amount of profit doing so. I chose to ignore those bigger/better advertised companies and go with a not-for-profit humanitarian organisation. That was my preference. I get the same support (with the exception of a branded t-shirt and scrubs) but I know that I’m paying at cost plus making a small donation which goes directly to my placement and host family…not lining some fat cat’s pockets.

– Finally….if I’m going to go far and away, I wanted to go somewhere with lots of things to see. Cusco is the site of the historic capital of the Inca Empire and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1983 by UNESCO. I aim on visiting Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley and if I get a chance, Lake Titicaca too. 

 

I know that I am extremely lucky to be in a position to be able to go abroad, and all the way to Peru, for my elective placement. I know that some people simply can’t afford it, and I also know that there are people who have other commitments which makes a placement abroad impossible…I also know that you don’t need to go abroad to make memories and to feel fulfilled, so if you are in the process on organising your elective placement, just base your decision on things that will make you happy and develop you personally and professionally and you will be fandabidozi!

…but if you are reading this wondering how on Earth I can afford it, please know that I can’t, not really..but  I’m working super hard and making a lot of sacrifices, mostly because I know that it will be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, and that no matter what, I will never forget it. You can’t put a price on that! 

Ps – if anyone would like to buy me some scrubs I would be very grateful! I also need a camera….if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

 

Social Media…Friend or Foe?

From the very first day of becoming a student nurse, we are told/advised/urged to be extremely cautious with how much and what type information we share on social media sites. Stories of social media gone bad are thrown at us, alongside guidelines, recommendations and code of conducts to adhere to. It all makes sense of course, as students entering a profession we have to behave in a certain manner…but really…is it such a big issue?

Now, I don’t agree with posting naked pictures of yourself after a heavy night out covered in puke. To be fair, I wouldn’t do that whether I was a student nurse or not but I appreciate that some people would find that funny and like to share it. I’m also not the type of person to post my address online nor intimate details about my life…but others would. I completely understand that there is a need to make ‘appropriate’ conduct explicit and I think universities/organisations are perfectly right to be cautious and outline the pitfalls of social media. I guess I only object to the ‘all or nothing’ mentality of using social media. In other words, the assumption that as student nurses we are either going to go all out and share every inappropriate fart and boob online or otherwise, completely exclude ourselves from a huge part of modern society and become social hermits.

Yes..there are student nurses out there who forget what professionalism and confidentiality means and there are also those whose privacy settings are as lax as a pair of old boxer shorts … not good if you don’t want your friend’s cousin’s dad who works with your mentor’s sister to find out how horrid that particular shift was. We also have (and I have been victim of) the not so pretty side of social media; some sites can be a perfect platform for intimidating or ‘pack hunting’ behaviour which is a no lesser form than verbal or physical bullying. This often results from the right to ‘freedom of speech’ which often replaces common sense and tact and leaves a permanent trail of opinions online that may not be particularly conducive to becoming a caring and compassion nurse. Moreover, the  accessibility of social media sort of means that you are damned if you do and dammed if you don’t. For example, you may choose to not speak to someone in class because well, you can’t like everyone, can you? But…what happens if you don’t accept their Friend Request? Dun dun dunnnnnnnnnn. Catastrophe!

However,  I am a HUGE fan of social media and in general, is most definitely my friend. Not the least because I find it educating and insightful. It broaden my own views and challenges my opinions. I may not like some of the insights given but that’s ok. In contrast to ‘real’ life I can block those opinions and not have to continue to deal with them and have them shoved at my face like a wet fish. If it wasn’t for social media I wouldn’t have had many of the opportunities I have enjoyed this last year or so. I wouldn’t have found the essay competitions that I eventually won; to blog for a national nursing magazine; to get involved in lots of conferences and events; and most importantly  I wouldn’t have ‘met’ some incredibly inspiring and lovely fellow student nurses online…who have frankly proved themselves to be invaluable in keeping me sane thus far and on occasions have been much more understanding than some of those people closer to me.

Social media is as much of a support and professional network as a social network…maybe even more so and I don’t think enough credit is given to it. So, if I could give any advice to any student nurses out there, it would be:

– Don’t be afraid of using social media – it’s the modern way to network! Get involved in whatever form you want. You will be amazed how many doors open if you just engage.

– Do make sure your privacy settings are always high to make sure you only share info with people you want to share it with.

– Have it in your head that any information you share online will be permanently stored somewhere and may come back and bite you. Will you want that particular comment/picture/quote/article on ‘This is Your Life’ in 10 years time? With your granny watching? No? Zip it then and keep it to yourself or save it for face-to-face conversations with your closest.

– Share your successes and give others something to aspire to. Who doesn’t want to be a leader? But more importantly, who doesn’t want to know that great things do happen with hard work?

– Remember to be professional and not air your dirty laundry online…. no-one wants to see it…and if they do, the internet is not the place for it.

– Do read the policies and guidelines on social media from the RCN, uni etc… and make sure you understand and follow them. Ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse!

 

 

Final update of 2013 resolutions!

Entering the latter part of 2013 so I just wanted to do another check in and update my New Year’s resolutions. I already achieved many of them earlier on in the year but I think it’s nice to keep going back over them. Makes me really appreciate how much has happened but also how much there is still to do! So, here we go:

1. To survive 6 weeks of nursing placement  – Completed! I survived my first, second and third nursing placement and lived to tell the tale. I have to say that I miss placement when I’m at uni…but also miss uni when I’m in placement! Haha! And I miss my holidays always.
2. To toughen up a bit. I’m going to mark this as completed. Not because I think I have now toughened but because I have now realised that I don’t particularly want to. I just want to do what I do, be who I am and be happy with it.
3. To keep on top of my uni work so that I am not rushing towards deadlines. Done! Keep it up!
4. To pass my first year of my nursing degree. Passed with flying colours! I just need to continue to work super hard for the next year!
5. To raise enough sponsorship to do my skydive for the Together Trust – Completed..now I have to think of the next big challenge! Fire walking? Will anyone sponsor me please?
6. To be an awesome bridesmaid x2 – I have one bridesmaid duty down and another to go. I love being a bridesmaid! It’s such an awesome job.
7. To learn to park my car properly. Well….no… but I’m becoming less worried about all the bumps and scratches on my car. Ooopsie.
8. To get a small part time job – Yes! I have 2 part time jobs now. Both flexible. both rewarding.
9. To start buying myself flowers again and restart yoga and/or zumba – I got bored of yoga and zumba but I do remember to treat myself…even if it’s not flowers.
10.  To be strong and stay positive no matter what and not let anyone make me feel otherwise – This will always always be in progress! I can try and be positive…but sometimes, people do influence how I feel. I think that’s human nature.

It feels a little strange reading these resolutions. I’m not really sure what frame of mind I was in when I wrote them but I sound like I was a little down… don’t I? I can’t think of any specific events around that time which would have made me feel like that other than maybe a general ugh-I’m-getting-older-and-another-year-is-passing sort of thing…but…my list has kept me focused both in my nursing and in my personal life. I think I am finally learning to look after myself as well as others! Woohooo! This has given me little boost. I like ticking things off a to-do list!

Second year!

Remember me? Ok, ok, ok! So…everyone who said I would never be able to keep up with weekly blog posts were absolutely correct. I tried my best but frankly I’ve been enjoying myself a little too much to worry about writing about it all  but I promise that I will get back to it and give updates as and when I can!

Hey, guess what? I’m now a SECOND year student nurse! Can you believe it? I remember this time last year panicking about what pens I should take, whether I would ever understand A&P,  if I would make any friends etc… and well…now I really don’t care about pens and think myself lucky if I come home from uni/placement with my pen still in my pocket; I did pretty (very) well in my A&P exam and thoroughly enjoyed it and I’ve met some lovely lovely people! 

I cannot believe how much I have done and achieved in the last 12 months. I understand that the first year of a nursing course is somewhat “easy” in comparison to the subsequent 2 years and I also understand that I may not have as many opportunities going forwards as I’ve had in the last few months so for that, I am grateful and proud that I took advantage of every single chance that I had to learn, improve and succeed!

Of course, since this is my blog and it is generally all about me and my journey as a student nurse I want to list everything that I’ve done in my first year. Clearly, the aim is to blow my own trumpet but I also want others to see just how much is possible and just how amazing and fulfilling it can be. So, in the last 12 months:

– I started this blog!

– Started a 3 year adult nursing degree as a mature (but fresh and young looking <wink wink>) student with no previous health related work or educational experience and from a non-traditional nursing background.

– Elected as course representative and attended every single training session, meeting and conference available to me. Through this I gained skills in time management, advocacy and evidence-based representation. I also become to know the Student Union Officers who often provided support and advice.

– I completed the university’s 10 week writing project which really helped me ease back into academic writing.

– As well as study full time, I started part-time work as a Widening Participation Outreach Ambassador, encouraging young people to aim towards higher education. I know how much I enjoy learning, and if I can do it, anyone should be able to do it! We have now been nominated for an award http://www.staff.mmu.ac.uk/manmetlife/news/view/schools-outreach-up-for-times-award

– As well as study full time, and starting one part-time job, I successfully started a second part-time job as a Care Support Worker for the National Health Service. Now… unlike some people, and the current government, I do not believe that care and compassion can be learnt and I therefore strongly disagree with the idea that all future student nurses will need a year of experience in a hospital as a support worker or health care assistant as a pre-requisite to starting a nursing degree. I think there are many many ways to nurse and focusing on clinical pre-requisites is naive and unsustainable. Anyway…the reason why I want to work as a support worker in addition to being a student nurse is because I want to learn what both roles are and how they interact together so that I can improve my nursing practice. And the money is good. I also don’t want to forget the roots of nursing and irrespective what field I ultimately go into, I always want to remember essential care. Since my placements focus on learning new clinical skills I figured that I should make some time to also focus on personal care etc.. And I’m not sure if I have mentioned it…but the money is good…and any student nurse will know that any pennies that can be earnt are extremely welcome!

– As well as studying full time and working two part-time jobs, I also started volunteering for a charity which I really believe in, called The Together Trust. Last year I raised around £600 for the charity by doing my skydive. I also attended and fundraised at other charity events which I thoroughly enjoyed! I am so looking forward to all upcoming events. It’s going to be a great year.

– I attended the Student Nursing Times Awards  and was elated to have been present when my university won the Best Pre-Reg Nursing Education Provider of the Year award. I hope we can hold on to the award this year.

– I entered an essay competition for the College of Medicine and became the first ever student nurse to have been awarded a prize. I came joint third. http://www.collegeofmedicine.org.uk/sites/default/files/ruth_perez-merino.pdf

– I entered an essay competition for the Student Health Association and was awarded first prize.This led the university’s public health department to get in touch with me about potentially sitting on the panel for a new Healthy University initiative. http://www.healthyuniversities.ac.uk/

– I became a Student Quality Ambassador and set off on the road to improve the quality of care provided in the NHS by working with other health care students and professionals across the North West to share best practices and fresh ideas. I’m still pretty new at this!

– I began writing a blog for the Student Nursing Times though that has taken a huge back seat and I really need to get back on it this year!

– Went on holiday to Spain to see my family. Although I spent the whole time feeling sorry for myself with flu.

– Completed my Dementia Friends Champion training. I can now deliver short informationsessions on Dementia to support make our communities dementia-friendly! I just need to get someone to lend me a venue and then I will get cracking with the sessions.

– Passed all my nursing placements with flying colours – even though I had a tough time with my first placement. But I super duper enjoyed all subsequent placements and feel much more confident than I was…although in all honesty I’m petrified of the jump in responsibility. I’ll get there!  If anyone is interested, I had placements in: a medical ward, surgical ward, surgical assessment unit and district nursing. I was also able to spend time with: dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, general surgeons, plastic surgeons, health visitors and I attended workshops in : palliative care, communication skills and genetics! Pretty cool stuff eh?

– Passed all my assignment/exams with an average 1st degree classification. Now, I’m not insinuating I will be able to maintain this going forwards or that it makes me better than anyone else but it makes ME feel better to know that I CAN do this and that I’m doing it well. Just to clarify for anyone that may have any doubts, just because I’m academic it does not mean that I’m not down to Earth…I will clean bottoms, wipe sick, hold hands and be kind until the end of my days and if appropriate laugh about it if I know it will make someone more comfortable or otherwise cry. It does not mean that I do not want to be hands on when I qualify. Do you know what my results mean? It means I work damn hard, use every opportunity and all the support I can to do the best I can. I’m proud to do well…sorry…. I guess I will continue to work by my own standards in every way and will let everyone else work by their own.

– Went on holiday to America. I was a bridesmaid to a lovely gorgeous bride!

Now…I’m a little bit keen and probably a bit mad to have crammed so much but…if all my hard work and success wasn’t already proof enough that I made the right decision to shift gear and change careers, I wonder if this is?

– After ALL of the above, I was nominated for the University’s Ede & Ravenscroft Prize for Academic Excellence award and was one of 2 students (out of 30,000) to have won. http://www.hpsc.mmu.ac.uk/news/item.php?key=33

How do I keep this going for second year? …I’m not sure I can! I may fail something or I may pass everything. That’s a lot of pressure for me to worry about. I will just try my best. It’s all I can do.

First Day of Second Placement

Can’t really remember if I have mentioned it before, but even though Nursing is now a degree, student nurses do actually spend 50% of the course in practice. Working. For free. I wish people would give the whole “too posh to wash” and “too academic to care” rubbish a bit of a rest. It’s a bit boring now and achieves nothing. Student nurses nowadays do more minimum training and more learning than ever. 

I digress.

As part of placement, we are assigned a mentor. Our mentor is always a qualified nurse charged with teaching us nursing skills (not just clinical skills) and ultimately responsible for deciding whether students are fit and able to progress to the next level of nursing or not. Each week students must complete at least 37.5 hours. Yep, that’s full time work. In general, student nurses should work the same shifts as their mentor or at the very minimum 40% of their hours must be with their mentor.

So (I’m getting there…I do have a point, honest!), whilst most of my fellow student nurses started placement on Monday, I had to wait a little longer, until Thursday, to start placement. My lovely mentor wasn’t working until then and because I’m doing long days (14 hour days) with her, I don’t need to work as many days to make up my hours. So there you go. The time finally arrived! Yesterday I completed my first 14 hour shift of my second placement.

As per the norm, I can’t say exactly where it is due to confidentiality but in contrast to my previous medical placement, this is a surgical placement. Faster pace, more staff and well…just different. But brilliant. I noticed a few of things as soon as I got to my placement.

1. I am now much more confident to be wearing my student nurse uniform. I sort of feel like I deserve to wear it now…like I have earnt the right I suppose! Not that it ever felt wrong to wear it but it didn’t feel natural at first. It does now….and I love it! I’m not really sure why that is. Maybe I’m more confident in general, or maybe the last 9 months have proven to me that I CAN do this and I now feel more secure in that knowledge, or maybe it is the fact I have lost over 16lbs in weight and my uniform now fits better, or maybe it is because my uniform has now been washed 100 times and no longer feels like cardboard! I’m not going to over-analyse it too much (as you can probably tell). It feels good and that’s that.

2. I have remembered things from first placement and lectures. Nursing education (and Nursing in general for that matter) is so so intense. It is a hard course and it’s frustrating when people underplay just how difficult it is. There is so much information to remember and it is undoubtedly overwhelming. So imagine my surprise when I realised that I actually remembered much (not all) of what I had been previously taught. Now…to build on that and learn more! Hopefully it won’t be ‘one in, one out’ when it comes to facts and skills!

2. I’m much more assertive. My previous placement was 10 weeks long. This placement will be split into 2 completely different areas with 5 weeks in each area. 5 weeks doesn’t leave me with a lot of time so I’m determined to really seek out every chance I get to learn new skills and I’m no longer scared/worried to ask.  I don’t necessarily mean going on spokes all the time but definitely jumping at the chance to do new things, learn new skills and develop existing ones, and just in general, get involved as much as possible! Just in case you think I’m talking in riddles and you are wondering what the heck a spoke is… spoke placement = time spent away from the main placement on a related field. This gives students more of an idea of multi-disciplinary team working involved in the care of a patient. For example if on placement in a ward specialising in diabetes, a student could potentially do a spoke with a dietitian, a diabetes specialist nurse, a podiatrist etc. Thankfully, my mentor seems to ‘get me’ completely and understands what I want to get out of placement and is already very kindly on the case.

[Serious geek alert]

Talking about people understanding me or ‘getting me’. Am I the only person out there who loves Eurovision? I realise it was a while ago but the reason I mention it is because I have the whole compilation on my iPhone and I listen to it all the time. It keeps me sort of sane. Though I appreciate the irony in using Eurovision and sane in the same sentence. 

I like singing and dancing along to songs I don’t understand the words to. I don’t let language get in the way of a good tune! I take after my mum. Also, I don’t really stop at Eurovision…I’m a genuine lover of Europop. Join in! Here are some of my favs! 

509 million hits on this surely means I’m not completely crazy?! I partly blame my zumba class for this one…

Eurovision 2013… erm….I like it and that’s what matters.

A German man-band! what else is there to say? I understand the words to this one…and I don’t mean the English words at the end. Don’t know how I found it. YouTube special!

I won’t sell myself short…sorry

What a wonderful day! Today I volunteered at the Bupa Manchester 10K for The Together Trust (that’s the same charity for which I did Supermarket Superheros, and of course, my skydive). My job today was to cheer as loudly as possible for those running and it was such an incredible atmosphere. I’m not entirely sure how many runners took part but the run’s website tells me it is around 40,000 and I believe it! People of all shapes, sizes and ages, most running for charity, some running in fancy dress – such an inspiring, energetic and vibrant day! Makes me want to sign up immediately for next year’s run! (Registration is already open by the way…Bit keen…!)

If you haven’t already noticed, I love being involved in lots of different things. People often ask how I find the time to fit it all in but if I enjoy it, it’s very easy to fit everything in. I just make time. Simples! I like keeping myself busy. I go to uni full-time where I’m a course rep, also now a Student Quality Ambassador in Healthcare, I write this blog (sometimes), I write my monthly Student Nursing Times blog, volunteer when I can, attend fundraising events, work as an Outreach Ambassador and sometimes, I even enter essay competitions for fun…and sometimes, I even come third!!

That’s right! I randomly entered an essay writing competition by the College of Medicine in London and somehow, the judges liked what I wrote and somehow I have now been invited as a VIP to attend their annual conference in London to be presented with my winning prize and certificate. I am SO proud! They will even display my essay for people to read and such…wooowwweeee!

Now, we all know how much I love writing….and we also all know that I am without a doubt very academic, and that I enjoy it and that I do go out of my way to find things to research and write about. However <change of tone from jovial to serious and slightly offended> I do take exception to people prejudging/assuming/concluding that this very fact means that I do not want to be a “practical” or “hands on” nurse and that upon qualifying I would want to just push pens and paper about on a desk.

No.

I want to be (and I will be) the kind of nurse who always tries.  Who doesn’t shy away from being different. Who wants to improve and who wants to have a voice. Who builds on strengths and never settles for other people’s expectations of what I could or should be. I will not sell myself short. So what if I am academic, are there really people out there who think that nurses cannot be caring, compassionate, kind as well as educated and academic? Or that they should not be? Should I not do what I enjoy and what I am good at because it doesn’t fit with the ideology of a bed-side nurse then? I must have missed the memo which said these qualities were mutually exclusive. Interestingly, the very same people who sent that memo must have missed the fact that I spend much of my free time volunteering/working with and/or looking after people…

We NEED nurses who will push for more, who will seek success and celebrate it when it arrives. How else can we be expected to grow as a profession if we just sit back and let people tell us what to do and what to be all the time? Do we not get enough criticism as it is? Should we not strive for more to avoid that cycle continuing?  

That is all.

“if you always do what you always did, you will get what you always got. To get what you never had, you must do something you never did” – Lots of people

If only there was something I could do…

I’m watching the news and I’m just so upset at the images coming through from Oklahoma. I just wish I could go to help. I felt exactly the same when the Boston bombings happened and after the Bangladesh factory collapse, after the Sandy Hook shooting…and  after every other major disaster in the last 10 years. I. Just. Want. To. Help.

I really feel events like that. Whether natural or man-made (if there is such a concept). I’m not really sure why. It’s not just a news story to me…it just flabbergasts me that so many people’s lives can change so drastically in seconds through no fault of their own. You could potentially argue that we have upset Mother Nature and that Man (and I’m using that in the most generic of terms) simply gets in the way of natural phenomenons, or you could argue that Man has caused many of these disasters, but even if that’s right, surely the victims themselves didn’t cause such catastrophes, and even if they did, surely they don’t deserve such consequences? It is harrowing.

Over 8 years ago, I remember watching the scenes following the 2004 tsunami on TV (if you’ve seen The Impossible – that’s the tsunami I’m referring to). I  remember the death toll increasing by thousands every time I changed channel. 280,000 people just gone. I can’t even picture that many people. Can you? I remember feeling like a £10 donation, as well intended as it would be, just wouldn’t fill the complete sense of helplessness that I had. I remember feeling like I wanted, could and would help. So I did and I went and I helped. I built houses, worked in orphanages and helped in refugee camps.

I feel like that now. I. Really. Want. To. Help.

But then I remember that I’m doing my nursing course. I must not forget that in just over 2 years I will (hopefully) be well on my way to becoming a qualified and registered nurse and you know what that means? It means that maybe, one day, I will not only be able to help but I will be able to make a real difference. I may even save someone’s life. Imagine that!

Sometimes I wonder if I would be any good working for some form of humanitarian organisation such as the Red Cross or Médecins sans Frontières. In the midst of chaos. I think I would feel my most useful in emergency situations like that….but then, there is so very much that needs care and attention at home that I think I would feel a little guilty if I didn’t try to help those closer to me first. Could I do both? Do such jobs exist? I guess I don’t really have to look into it now but I’m more sure now than I have ever been. I want to be a nurse. I want to help. I want to make a difference.

I just wish there was something I could do right now.

 

Time is flying! Nearly birthday time again!

Where the heck has the time gone? I can’t believe that this time last year I was days away from my big birthday party and now….guess what…I’m days away from my 20-and-11th birthday! I have had such a good year – full of upheaval and lessons (both from the university of life and from award-winning Manchester Metropolitan University) with plenty of topsy-turvy and exhilarating moments; I have met some wonderful people, and ‘lost’ (on purpose) a few not so wonderful people…but wow-wee, I wouldn’t have changed any of it for the world!

Just a few of the things I have learnt during the last 12 months:

– It is never ever too old to do anything – you will get old no matter what, so choose to live your life well! Just ask the amazing man who decided to study nursing at the age of 74! Or, the awesome 93-year-old skydiver!

– There are far too many medical/clinical/anatomical words that look and sound that same that mean entirely different things. This will not help me in my anatomy and physiology exam!

– Be honest – life is definitely the longest thing you will ever be involved in, but  according to popular belief, life is also too short, so, don’t use up energy to a) blatantly lie  – you will get caught out eventually, and b) not do/say what you really mean for fear of hurting others – anyone worth their salt will gladly accept your honesty, even if it means that you have to say no…but then again, don’t say something mean and horrid and caveat it with “I’m just being honest”. That’s cruel.

– Owing a sphygmomanometer and a stethoscope will only be exciting for the owner. Poor unsuspecting bystanders will not often appreciate having their blood pressure taken repeatedly…On this note, trying to manually take your own blood pressure is really hard.

– Don’t wear too much make up – your skin will be very grateful, and you will  be very happy when in years to come, people don’t believe how old you are (ahem), you will also save lots of money; and when you do wear make up, people won’t recognise you…surprise!

– The NHS has possibly the longest recruitment process in the entire universe (and potentially beyond but I can’t prove that).

– On the above point, I strongly believe we are incredibly lucky to have the NHS and I’m utterly proud to be a student nurse in such a system. Nothing is perfect but by golly we have it good!

– Also on the above point (I won’t continue with this “above point” malarkey I promise) nurses work really flipping hard. Unfortunately and regrettably, sometimes bad things happen and some nurses let the side down – they are the exception to the rule. Nurse bashing must stop. Nurses need to stand up for themselves more!

– Don’t go on faddy diets. Eating healthily is much much better, easier and cheaper – it does help to have friends who are wonderful nutritionist (thanks K!) but even if you don’t, eat salads and veggies every day and less of the processed, frozen and tinned foods! (Whilst on this subject, don’t smoke either…it’s gross…and it smells…and that is coming from an ex-smoker!)

– Seek out new challenges! Slight contradiction to the point above about being able to say no… but…don’t be afraid to say yes! Really! What is the worse that could happen? So much goodness has come out of me saying yes to brand new and challenging opportunities! Who cares what it is! Just give it a go.

– Studying nursing does require some level of artistic skills – you try to draw the brain with all its lobes/ventricles/centres…not easy!

– Always work by your own standards and let others work by theirs. Otherwise you will get into all sorts of conflict that can lead to a whole bunch of really awkward and uncomfortable situations. In some cases you will be right, in others you will be wrong, but in most you will just be.

– If people want to follow you, they will….a good leader will capture the imagination of his/her peers and will be able to easily influence.

-Sock buns are mini angels in disguise 😉

– And of course, just to confirm, I am absolutely love nursing! I have spent the last few months at uni recuperating after my previous placement and we are currently in exam (procrastinating) season…but… I cannot wait to go back out to placement! I will be both in acute and community settings (remember I’m not allowed to say exactly where due to confidentiality) for 10 weeks from June until September! Wooohooo! Lovely patients to look after!

Of course, none of this would have been possible if my wonderful university would not have believed in me, seen potential and given me a chance…and for being so incredibly supportive, Manchester Metropolitan University have won an award for Best Nursing Education provider! How cool is that?! I officially attend the best university for nursing. I have never been so proud to be part of anything before! Don’t we look good?