Things you wish you'd known before uni...

[aspiringnurse]

Hello,

I have recently been given an offer for adult nursing starting this September. I am currently doing an access to nursing course at the moment.

Seems a bit early to do anything like this but I was just wandering, what are the things you wish you'd know before starting your adult nursing degree??

Including tips for uni, placements, juggling work etc.

I am a mature student (26 when I start), have a one year old at home (will be going to nursery ) - still feels like my little baby and not ready for him to go into nursery just yet..

So have a busy and hectic life!!

Any advice welcome?!

[Serin]

I'm not a student nurse but one of DC is.
It would be good if unis gave students a say in where their placements are. Sometimes the placement are many miles away and in his case the uni accepts that the student cannot always commute and provides assistance with finding and paying for additional accom for the duration of the placement.
Student nurses get no where like the same amount of holidays as other uni students, he has just over 3 weeks at summer.

[NotEnoughTime]

I am sorry that I don't have any advice as I never went to University but I wanted to say have a look at a website called WIWIKAU (what I wish I knew about university) or on their facebook page and that might help.

Best of luck with your studies and I hope nursery goes well for your little one.

[Kuponut]

I'm not a nursing student - but another of the Allied Health Professions. Be prepared for general disorganisation and short notice for things which will drive you insane when it comes to organising childcare - it's better once you're IN the actual institution and know who to chase up to get things like placement dates well in advance - but we didn't get our timetable until mid-induction week this year.

Basic one though - don't go bonkers buying loads of textbooks in advance - although I found the module reading lists on the library website and picked loads up for like £2 second hand via Amazon in the summer holidays... but loads are ebook format on the uni library site so don't need buying anyway.

I've got two kids and basically I've found the key is to stay on top of it all - once you start slipping behind it's hell to play catch up. I live and die by my todo list app.

Oh yeah and depending on the bursary situation - you can get a NHS dependent childcare grant as well of £1000 which I only found out about from idly going through our faculty webpages.