Professional Placements Health a guide by students for students
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This booklet was compiled by your Students’ Union to help you to prepare for your first professional placement. All of the quotes come from Anglia Ruskin students. We hope it will give you a real taste (and sometimes smell!) of what you can expect of your time on placement, so that it will be as enjoyable and rewarding an experience as possible.
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All the illustrations on this booklet were designed by BA Illustration student Alice Boswell who volunteered with the Students’ Union Marketing Department under the ‘Creating Opportunities’ project. angliastudent.com/creatingopportunities
Alice Boswell BA Illustration ALSS, CSoA Hey, I’m Alice, a 3rd year Illustrator. I was excited to be a part of this project because it presented an interesting challenge, to get the right tone for the material. It was a great opportunity to try out a live brief, to have something printed and to contribute something to the uni. I don’t really have a specialisation at the moment, I’m still trying out what ever comes along. Check out my blog if you want to see some of my other projects. aliceboswell.tumblr.com
Where am I going? Here are examples of the kind of settings within which you can expect to be placed.
General Hospital Ward “Very fast paced, fun and challenging” Care Home “Nice to have the opportunity to get acquainted with the residents” Elderly Ward “Presents lots of opportunities for personal care, and you’ll come across many different conditions to learn about.” Mental Health “I worked with people affected by substance misuse” “I enjoyed the experience of seeing clients.”
Private Surgical Hospital “More time to spend with your mentor due to lower staff to patient ratio.” Theatre “Less you can do in a practical sense, but lots to see if you like that kind of thing.” Medical High Dependency Unit (HDU) “Get used to machines bleeping, you will start to hear them in your sleep!” “Do not be afraid to report if you think a patient is deteriorating, you’re probably right!” Accident and Emergency “You’ll witness very emotional situations and encounter interesting patients.” Community “You’ll feel privileged to enter patients own homes”
words of wisdom...
“Arrive at your placement punctually and show enthusiasm!” “Find out what your placement does by researching in advance; it will give you a head start on the terminology.”
What is expected of me? Words of wisdom... From Anglia Ruskin student nurses who have gone before you, a few things they wish they had been told going into placement.
I’ve found that killing them with kindness works brilliantly on the moodiest of patients, mentors and staff.
“First impressions count, make a good one as you could be looking for a job there a few years down the line.” “This is your learning experience, make the most of it.” “Make sure you realise, it’s hard work! A long day shift really is long!” “Go in with an open mind, ask questions, be supportive and show willing.” “Be helpful, eager and hard working. Take responsibility for your own learning.”
“A smile can make all the difference in the world!”
“It is providing the simple basic care well, that can really make a difference to a patient’s day.” “Ask, ask and ask again! You have to be really proactive, to the point of feeling like a bit of a pain in the bum, [but you will miss] opportunities if you don’t.”
Buy a good hand cream!
“Don’t be afraid to use your initiative or approach nurses. Most of the time they will be happy to let you watch or contribute.” “If your colleagues can see that you work hard, you will find more doors open for you.” “Prove that you have your head screwed on and the world is your oyster!” “Be prepared for patients to be brutally honest with you.” “It’s okay to cry, it happens to everyone as you witness some extreme situations, just take a few minutes to yourself if you need them.” “It’s when you stop caring and being emotionally affected that [you realise, perhaps] you’re in the wrong profession.”
“Invest in a good hand cream and comfy shoes!”
Words of wisdom... Second Year Placement First Year Placement “I thought I’d be expected to know a lot more.” “You are not expected to complete with confidence, anything other than basic care.” “Your first placement is about building confidence in the daily routine of a nurse; their duties responsibilities and shift patterns.” “I followed my mentor, watching her complete tasks until I felt confident to complete them myself.” “In my first year placement I was taught essential patient care: Washing and dressing, feeding, simple dressings, observations, med rounds (under supervision) and blood glucose monitoring.” “If you prove yourself competent more will be expected of you and you will be regarded as part of the team.”
“First and second year is about learning new skills, working as part of the team, asking appropriate questions and organising yourself.” “In second year I started to get used to doing more paper work, knowing drug names and contributing with handover if possible.” “More autonomy is expected and you start to use you own initiative.” Third Year Placement “In Third year, a more in depth knowledge of the clinical placement area [is expected], you should be taking the lead with your mentor’s support and building confidence.” “Dependant on the placement, but with guidance from your mentor, you are expected to work at the same level as a staff nurse.”
Expect to wash patients, clean up sick phlegm, give injections, help people to eat and drink...
words of wisdom...
“Use the first few months to really work on developing your communication and people skills.” “Write down everything you do for a patient! If it’s not written down, it hasn’t been done.”
more words of wisdom... “Something as simple as helping someone shave or brushing their hair, so they feel or look better for their visitors, can mean so much.” “Take note if a patient is in isolation. You only have yourself to blame if you get ill!” “Allow yourself time so you don’t get stressed. Having assignments and battling placement at the same time can be a bit of a struggle.”
You will see more naked people than you ever imagined.
“At the end, the staff, patients, families, and you, will fully appreciate how far you’ve come and how much you’ve learnt.” “Take the time to reflect upon the difference you are making to the lives of the patients in your care.” Remember, you will still be expected to complete assignments whilst on placement.
“You will learn a lot about yourself and your coping mechanism to deal with the job, and everyone will be different, it’s about your own self-development.”
Never underestimate… “…The knowledge of the health care assistants.” “…The power of a cup of tea.” “…The effect of a smile, It’s the one thing that’s important to a patient, no matter how your day is going.”
What if I don’t enjoy it?
“If you are not enjoying because of where you are and the field of nursing you [have been placed] in – try to just take it day by day. Keep a journal and write down something new you’ve learnt each day (that way you feel like you’re progressing even though you may not be enjoying it).” “Stick with it! It’s a placement for a reason, it won’t last forever and any experience, good or bad, is one that you can reflect on later.”
If you have concerns, contact the Students’ Union Advice Service. The Advice Service offers free, confidential, impartial advice and support. www.angliastudent.com/advice
“If an incident occurs that has concerned you, write down what happened as soon as you can, time has a way of making memories wonky.”
It is strongly recommended that you a join a nursing union, either the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) or Unison. They provide additional support and indemnity insurance should you need it. www.rcu.org.uk www.unison.org.uk
“Make sure you keep in touch with your course mates while you are out on placement. They are the ones who know exactly what you are going through and you can support one another by sharing your experiences.”
It is also worth exploring the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) website, they have a student section with lots of useful information. www.nmc-uk.org/students
Tips from the Students’ Union Advice Service
The Students’ Union Advice Service offers free, confidential, independent and impartial advice, information and representation to all Anglia Ruskin University registered core campus students and distance learners. Here is our advice to you! Take time to carefully read your placement book/guide to be fully aware of what is expected of you and what you can expect from your mentors and tutors. Your placement book is your responsibility; keep it with you at all times. Remember that school staff are doing their best to help and support you but that patients’ needs will always take priority. Stay in touch with your link lecturer and personal tutor to keep them updated of your progress. Flag up any queries or problems with university staff early, don’t keep them to yourself.
Stop, think, before you post! We have seen growing numbers of students facing disciplinary action due to postings on social media; don’t be one of them! Read the guidelines on using social media from your professional body and act responsibly. Remember posting on social media is not a chat between friends – it is a communication you lose control over as soon as it appears. The majority of placements go well, however, if you are experiencing any issues with your placement do come and speak to us, it’s usually much easier to deal with a small problem early rather than let it grow. Good luck on your placement! You can request an appointment with an Adviser. In person: Cambridge: Helmore Room 125 Chelmsford: Tindal 1st Floor By phone: Cambridgeshire: 01223 460008 Chelmsford: 01245 258178 Via E-Mail: cambridge.advice@angliastudent.com chelmsford.advice@angliastudent.com or through the website
angliastudent.com/advice
It’s amazing, you feel like a real staff nurse already!
We hope that you have found this booklet useful, and wish you the best of luck on your professional placement. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all the students who contributed to the making of this booklet, with special thanks to Christine Dodd, Welfare and Campaigns Rep for Peterborough 2012/13 and Alice Boswell, our illustrator.
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