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!