Tag Archives: nhs

Second Year Nursing Student!!

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Year 2 – It really does not feel real!!

Second Year Student Nurse!!

People say that the BSc Nursing course flies by, I have not figured out if I feel it has flown, or whether it has gone slowly.

Coronavirus really has made things interesting. In year one, our placements were suspended and my year was placed on theory only, at home. Roll on the next couple of lockdowns and as year 2 our planner has been altered, but this time round, second years were not offered to “opt in” and get paid. Our paperwork is new, as well as different to other cohorts, because of things being cancelled or done virtually. It is all very strange.

However, providing all goes well (touch-wood), in 2021 I will become a third year Student Nurse. That thought is terrifying, yet exciting. It just doesn’t feel real. I do not feel like I am at this stage.

Is this normal? Is it because of COVID?

Who knows?

I have two placements left of year 2, as well as the theory blocks. I cannot wait to attend my next placement, I feel as though the area is one that can provide me plenty of learning opportunities.

I do aim to write up a reflective post of my next placements. However it will not be posted until after the placement has ended and it will not share any locations or personal details, because obviously as a Student Nurse it would go against a lot of rules. But keep a look out at future posts.

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April 25th 2018 – 2 Years Post Appendicectomy

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I was 2 months into my new job and it was my first time taking an official call at my job. I don’t really remember the first call very well. What I do remember is feeling a heaviness in my chest, I felt ill and not right. I thought I was just scared and pushed through another call. Before admitting I didn’t feel well. My mentor and colleagues said to me that if I felt unwell not to worry and go home. I decided it would be a good idea to go home. This was in early March-if I knew what was to come over the next few months I would have driven myself to A&E straight after work.

If you go back 2 years in my posts you will see the struggles I went through (written in a held back, milder manner!!) Posts such as 6 weeks of health and Apparently “There is no Way it is your Appendix!”.

My life has changed in the past 2 years. I changed jobs, bought a house, moved house in that time. I have battled with my physical and mental health. Been treated badly and cut out certain people-that was a tough decision to take but I have realised that I need to consider my own wellbeing and toxic people are not part of my life anymore.

I did a whoopsie

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Having been in an ill, nocturnal state for the past week or so I decided to request my prescription online from the GP- PRESCRIPTION APPROVED!! But me being me at the moment, I thought it was Friday on Thursday so didn’t collect the prescription from the Doctors as thought they would be closed. Then the next day I went out in the car and realised it was Friday so I went to the Doctors and realised it was closed because it was Good Friday so no prescription for me.

.FAST FORWARD TO MONDAY.

I have no Sertraline in the house. I have been on these for months and never missed a dose, until now. I have to see a Doctor this week anyway so I know I need to go out and get my tablets. Although they do need changing so if anybody has advice on reducing Sertraline in order to swap to another medication please let me know as I have heard withdrawal is awful!!

To any Healthcare Workers out there….

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This article was submitted to my ‘Mighty’ page but has been saved for future release rather than being published straight away.

Roll back to early March 2016: I had just completed training for a new job within the emergency services and it was my first day “set free” to take calls and be “in training.” I felt strange, was having chest pain and really didn’t feel well. Within the first couple of hours into the shift I went home unwell. The 30-mile journey home was the longest ever and I was straight on the phone to NHS direct for advice.

Fast forward to late April, a very long six weeks later. I was still off work and had been to so many nurses, GPs, out of hours and telephone triage appointments I had lost count. That day I spoke to my surgery to request an appointment with a doctor and was told I couldn’t see one but they had a paramedic in the surgery I could see. By this point I had lost the will to live and just wanted the pain to stop.

I will never forget the kindness I received from that paramedic. I was told to go to the hospital and a letter was written and faxed to the emergency department for me to go to see the surgeons.

I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and while this condition is being talked about more, there is still a stigma with the condition. I had abdominal pain that had lasted about six weeks and had been referred to the surgical team, not the gynaecology team.

One of the worst comments I have ever overheard from a person was: “She has polycystic ovaries, just send her to gynae and they can discharge her.”

While this comment may only be minor, I also saw these people shaking their heads and asking about beds for other patients. Might I add, this person was a doctor.

Three days later, I had surgery and my appendix was removed and then two days later I went home. I continued to use the services of my GP, district nurse and NHS Direct as I had an infection in one wound that turned out to be two different infections as well as several water infections.

I will never be the same person again, but I am very thankful to that paramedic who believed me and listened to me and the surgeon who listened to me and didn’t presume it was just my polycystic ovaries – because it wasn’t!!

To any healthcare workers or those who wish to become a healthcare professional: If a patient comes to you with a problem, please do not presume it is “just” their pre-existing condition. Yes, take it into account, but don’t use it as the first excuse to discharge your patient.