Student Nurse, Placement Essentials / Advice?

[cherryscone]

Hi!

I'm starting placement (adult nursing) next week and need to know all the essentials I need for starting and any advice you have for those that have been in this position before 😊

TIA!

Actually book the whole first week! I worked the Friday and it was a bloody nightmare!

During my recovery placement, I was looking after at least 2 patients on my own.
I was being used as staff!
That was in my first year.

You're about to begin a crazy journey! It will be tough, but fun! You will learn so much.

In terms of practical things, a fob watch is really handy, pens, a water bottle and a tiny notebook would be my main things. A pen torch is handy for nights.

You will have some great mentors, there's always one or two bad eggs but usually students are really valued members of the team.

My main tip would be to have a really good look through your competencies before your first shift. I remember being asked on my first day 'so what do you need to do on this placement?' and I couldn't answer!

I was a student nurse about 6 years ago now and my first placement was on Stroke Rehab. Which I actually came to enjoy towards the end.

My tips for your first few placements are:

• ask what pre-reading you can do for the area
• take a notebook and plan your schedule each shift
• ask questions and never be afraid to ask even if you think it's a dumb question. This applies throughout your student nurse life and nursing career
• be prepared to do the basics even if you've been a HCA before. Washing and dressing is an important skill and you can use it to assess the bigger picture so don't shy away or neglect this aspect of placement
• get to know everyone by their first name, especially the domestics - they can be great allies
• remember you are technically supernumerary so there is no excuse not to take your break
• when given the opportunity to shadow or assist with something new, take the opportunity and be proactive. I.e. if on surgery placement try to see various operations and join the specialist nurses

Happy to help if you have other questions. Apologies if these points are already mentioned. Good luck and enjoy

I will try and say this without sounding like a nurse who "eats their young"...

• Take responsibility for getting any paperwork done, as and when it needs to be done by. DO NOT leave it until your last day to tell me that you need this and that completing or signing off, and it has to be done today. Because I probably won't have time to do it that day. I have a job to do as well as mentoring you. I don't mind doing paperwork and things for students in my own time, as long as they are polite, on time, actually talk to the patients, ask questions/seem keen to learn, and give me a bit of notice of what needs doing and when. Remind me that your last week is next week, I'm still surprised we're in August!

• Don't take it personally if your mentor is a bitch who eats their young. Don't put up with it either, get support from you uni if you need to. I was lucky and most of my mentors were amazing, but one was a massive bitch and I refused to go back...and then ended up working with her years later 🤣.

• Talk to staff and patients. The last few batches of students we've had have been hard work tbh. Need prompting to introduce themselves or speak to patients. Not sure why!

@N1C Im gutted as theatres still aren’t letting students in to observe in the hospital im currently on placement in since covid

I wonder if student nurses nowadays need more "handholding" or encouragement because of the fees student nurses must pay now? When I trained, my degree was free and we had a bursary. Therefore mature people were much more likely to take up nursing and had the life experience, common sense and confidence to thrive on placements.

@n1c a lot of the students coming on placement from brick uni are still not in face to face lessons, they are straight out of secondary school with little experience. I fully believe 12-18 months HCA experience should be an entry requirement

Sorry to hear that - how short sighted of them. Is this the case for all trusts? What is the rationale?

@N1C not entirely sure I’ve asked a few times and just keep getting given the covid reason. Im in Scotland so unsure if it’s all health boards or just mine, unfortunately this is my final week of my ward placement, I have 2 more outward facing placements left before qualifying! (Final placement of each year is back at my usual job in community but as a student)

When I was on the wards during my training and when I worked in theatre I always wore the slightly compressing runners socks, knee high ones, really found they helped support my legs for being on them for 12 hours.
Pens, change of uniform in your locker, snacks, food.
Do your practice paperwork in a timely manner, don’t leave it all to the last day as something will crop up.
Dont worry too much if you are sick during placement and need a shift off, you can catch up your hours.
Use your initiative. If you find yourself at a loose end, ask for work if you can’t find something.
Take your breaks.
Be nice to patients but be professional, not many people want to be on a ward, consider their likely optical limitations, strange environment, anxieties.
I worked as a scrub nurse in theatre, we loved having students come to us as it’s an underrated speciality. Do some reading on the anatomy and physiology of the eye. Read around cataracts, macular disease and vitrectomy.
Good luck, you’ll be grand.

@AlaskaThunderfuckHiiiiiiiii

That's a really poor excuse. Being a student nurse during covid must have been a challenging experience but you must have also had some opportunities and good experiences that'll make you stronger. I know I found being redeployment a great experience despite the initial worry and stress.

You can buy firm support tights in the supermarkets, they look just like normal tights.

Dh has had some lovely student nurses while he’s an inpatient. Lovely girls, polite and chatty with him.

Oh wow I'm so overwhelmed with the responses from you all!

I've read each one so thoroughly and feel so much more at ease so truly thank you for your help and advice 😊

I'm curious why the first week of August as someone has previously mentioned - any idea? 😁

The new drs start that week and they rotate the juniors around too, drs fucking everywhere.

Dh was an inpatient and honestly they were everywhere. I read consultants often have that week off and I don’t blame them. Two of dhs consultants were off that week.

@Toddlerteaplease

Yes loads of pens. But don't let the other staff know you have pens cause then they will all keep coming to you for a pen, even the doctors.

Scissors on a chain (they always go missing) black pen, pen torch, comfortable shoes, small notebook, fob watch.

Good luck OP, the fact your asking what to do to be prepared is such a great predictor of what kind of nurse you will be.

I bet by your second week the nurses will be arguing over who gets to buddy you because you'll be a great student to have on the team. When you prove yourself to be engaged and energetic you always inject morale into burnt out teams, students often brighten the wards up. I love enthusiastic students, they always make me want to set a good example and reinforce why they have chosen this job.

Doctors everywhere, yes. But they can't actually do the stuff you really need them to do! It's a bit soul destroying after patiently training up the last lot, to do what we need when we need it. I was tearing my head out that week. Spent ages last week literally telling the doctors what to write and what to prescribe on a TTO letter. The phrase that 'nurses stop doctors from accidentally killing you' does actually have a kernel of truth too it.

I had the same pair of scissors for years. Gutted when I lost them. But pointless buying more as loads of disposable ones. Same with pen torches. Though we are always super impressed when we need scissors/pen torch/ pen etc and students just get them out their pocket.

And no one I know ever has a spare uniform. At work. We have nowhere to put it! That's what scrubs are for. And clinell wipers remove most things. Though paediatrics is probably less unpleasant!!

@N1C yes. I've noticed that they need a lot of hand holding. Lots more mental health issues. And is it just me or do all the younger women look identical?!

hope your first placement goes well! I second the comfy shoes, all the pens, your uni paperwork. Maybe get yourself a little post first day treat sorted out, nice bath bomb or something! 😊

Flu jab! You’ll need a flu jab. Should be free at chemists as your working in healthcare.