It's been 2 1/2 weeks since I started my placement but unfortunately I have been off sick.
On the Sunday after my 2nd shift I woke up with what I thought was flu. The dry cough I'd had got worse and started to really hurt my chest. On the Thursday I went to see my GP practice nurse with my little son who also had a cough which had been diagnosed as croup a week earlier.
The practice nurse diagnosed chest infections in both of us and gave antibiotics. By Sunday I hadn't gotten any better with a temperature of 38.5 oC after taking paracetamol - though I thank god that Ryan's cough cleared up. Obviously this was dangerously high so I went to my NHS walk in clinic. In the clinic tests showed my oxygen saturation was 92% - which if you remember from a previous blog entry, is cause for concern. My blood pressure was also very high - compensating for a lack of oxygen but not good for my heart. Plus my temperature was still high. They admitted me to the medical admissions ward of my local hospital.
Tests there confirmed the test results I'd had at the clinic and I was sent for a chest x-ray. The Dr was impressed that I was still standing - 1/3 of my chest was filled with fluid caused by two separate bacterial infections - fluid in the lungs is diagnosed as pneumonia. I was immediately admitted onto a ward and given antibiotics both intravenously and orally. I was also placed on oxygen, ice cold and horrible.
I was tested for legionella - this worried me, thinking about the ward I had been working on. But the tests came back negative. Two days later my temperature had returned to normal and my coughing improved, I was sent home with antibiotics and feeling like a pin cushion from all the blood tests and the IV line I'd had in for the antibiotics.
So now I'm at home. I have a GP appointment on Monday to determine when I can return to my course. Once I can return I have been told I will have a meeting with the programme manager and my guidance tutor. I am worried I will have to leave the course as the Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC) state students can only have 15 days off sick during the whole course. I have had 15 so far. But I will just have to wait and see what happens.
29 May 2008
2nd day of placement
I had a dry cough and felt a little tired so I rang the placement. They said not to worry as a dry cough meant there is no infection - so I'm not bringing anything nasty onto the ward.
I got to do vital obs today. basically you watch a childs tummy and count how many times per minute their tummy moves with breathing - children will breathe, take a pause and then take a few breaths together, which is different from how adults breath. Then I took their temperature - which should be 36-37o C ideally and blood oxygen levels using an oxymeter - basically that white clip you put on a patients finger. Oxygen levels show how well the child's lungs are working - anything under 95% needs checked out.
I then got to write these up. I did a lot of wiping down surfaces and getting urine and faecal samples - sounds yuck but stuff like that just doesn't bother me.
I got to do vital obs today. basically you watch a childs tummy and count how many times per minute their tummy moves with breathing - children will breathe, take a pause and then take a few breaths together, which is different from how adults breath. Then I took their temperature - which should be 36-37o C ideally and blood oxygen levels using an oxymeter - basically that white clip you put on a patients finger. Oxygen levels show how well the child's lungs are working - anything under 95% needs checked out.
I then got to write these up. I did a lot of wiping down surfaces and getting urine and faecal samples - sounds yuck but stuff like that just doesn't bother me.
1st actual day of placement
What a lovely ward! The staff seem very kind, especially the male nurse who seems more friendly with the kids - like a youth worker - women nurses are all about wrapping kids up and making them feel better where the male nurses are playful, wanting to make sure the kids are happy. I respect that and am convinced more than ever that we NEED male nurses, teachers and community youth workers.
I was able to write admissions, chat and just get a general feel for the place.
I'm looking forward to the next 5 weeks
I was able to write admissions, chat and just get a general feel for the place.
I'm looking forward to the next 5 weeks
12 May 2008
Placement introduction
Well today was my first day out on placement. For placements each student is allocated a 'home' trust which they will spend most of their placements with.
Well my placement have provided 2 days on induction training which I am pleased with as it's a lovely way to meet the practice placement facilitator who works with your mentor out in practice to make sure you are okay.
There was a lot of lectures and some practicals so overall a nice day. I still can't wait until I actually start the placement properly though.
Well my placement have provided 2 days on induction training which I am pleased with as it's a lovely way to meet the practice placement facilitator who works with your mentor out in practice to make sure you are okay.
There was a lot of lectures and some practicals so overall a nice day. I still can't wait until I actually start the placement properly though.
03 May 2008
7 th week of uni - it's getting busy now
It's been quite a busy week!
On Monday we had a lecture on health psychology and stress - I've chosen this subject for my essay so I felt like there wasn't a lot new to learn. This was just as well as I was loaded with flu and so dosed up on paracetamol and ibuprofen. I didn't want to call in sick as NMC only allow students 15 sick days during the course of the whole 3 years! In the afternoon I practised taking temperatures, blood pressure (I already have a manual sphygmomanometer set so I already knew how to do that) and heart beats.
I also handed in my first essay - a diagnostic one, to the assignments office so hopefully I'll have done okay but if not at least it's a good chance to look at what I need to improve on.I think I'll book a tutorial with my marker (each assignment I do will have a different marker who I should have a tutorial with before and after any essays) once I get my marked assignment back.
On Tuesday we had a massive 4 hr session on manual handling where I practised moving a patient up the bed, moving from one side to another, transferring the patient from bed to trolley, moving patient from bed to chair using a hoist (that was fun as I got to be in the hoist), walking with a patients, helping the patient to fall safely, helping the patient to stand and then helping the patient to sit down. It was a good session which had to be 'signed off'.
On Thursday we had a seminar on care experience which was basically looking at extracts on patient and nurses' experiences of care and we had to evaluate the good and bad practices. That afternoon I visited my placement (I'd arranged this over the phone last week).
Then on Friday I had a tutorial about the Portfolio of Professional Development Folder(PPDF), which we'd been given on the first day. My tutor discussed how I'd need to keep a reflective diary, write reports on critical incidents and witness statements which I'd keep in the folder as evidence, even once I've qualified. Nursing is about lifelong learning so you have to prove you continue your professional development in order to remain registered.
There seems to be a lot which needs to be done on placement including:
* A reflective diary
* Critical incident reports
* Sociology in related to practice mini essay
* A module work book
* A record of the hours I've worked (35 per week)
* 3-4 manual handling records sheet of how I've applied what I learned in practice
* A breakdown of what I expect to learn each week and assessment of how I have/haven't learned them
* A 2000 word essay on reflective practice
Phew, I'm already worried about how I'll fit this all in around my family, plus I've another 2000 word essay due in the week I return from placement, they don't half lay it on thick!
On Monday we had a lecture on health psychology and stress - I've chosen this subject for my essay so I felt like there wasn't a lot new to learn. This was just as well as I was loaded with flu and so dosed up on paracetamol and ibuprofen. I didn't want to call in sick as NMC only allow students 15 sick days during the course of the whole 3 years! In the afternoon I practised taking temperatures, blood pressure (I already have a manual sphygmomanometer set so I already knew how to do that) and heart beats.
I also handed in my first essay - a diagnostic one, to the assignments office so hopefully I'll have done okay but if not at least it's a good chance to look at what I need to improve on.I think I'll book a tutorial with my marker (each assignment I do will have a different marker who I should have a tutorial with before and after any essays) once I get my marked assignment back.
On Tuesday we had a massive 4 hr session on manual handling where I practised moving a patient up the bed, moving from one side to another, transferring the patient from bed to trolley, moving patient from bed to chair using a hoist (that was fun as I got to be in the hoist), walking with a patients, helping the patient to fall safely, helping the patient to stand and then helping the patient to sit down. It was a good session which had to be 'signed off'.
On Thursday we had a seminar on care experience which was basically looking at extracts on patient and nurses' experiences of care and we had to evaluate the good and bad practices. That afternoon I visited my placement (I'd arranged this over the phone last week).
Then on Friday I had a tutorial about the Portfolio of Professional Development Folder(PPDF), which we'd been given on the first day. My tutor discussed how I'd need to keep a reflective diary, write reports on critical incidents and witness statements which I'd keep in the folder as evidence, even once I've qualified. Nursing is about lifelong learning so you have to prove you continue your professional development in order to remain registered.
There seems to be a lot which needs to be done on placement including:
* A reflective diary
* Critical incident reports
* Sociology in related to practice mini essay
* A module work book
* A record of the hours I've worked (35 per week)
* 3-4 manual handling records sheet of how I've applied what I learned in practice
* A breakdown of what I expect to learn each week and assessment of how I have/haven't learned them
* A 2000 word essay on reflective practice
Phew, I'm already worried about how I'll fit this all in around my family, plus I've another 2000 word essay due in the week I return from placement, they don't half lay it on thick!
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