3rd week

I can't believe how quickly the time has passed by. It's taken me a while to get settled into the ward routine and even longer to stop feeling so scared and useless all the time (though I do still have my moments). So I wanted to do something positive to help other would be nursing students. So basically it's advice:

1. Learn what the ward routine is.
2. Keep a reflective diary of one occurrence every shift.
3. Get to grips with the equipment, look at what nasogastric tubes, cannulas, catheters, central lines, infusion (drip) pumps, intra venous lines, blood glucose monitors, needles, syringes etc are used for (VERY important). - I bought this kit before I started university and have found it quite useful
4.Learn what conditions you are most likely to see on the ward.
5. Take a bottle of water with you for your shift - you'll need it.
6. Plan what you would like to learn each week but make sure it is relevant to your competencies, accompanying a stoma nurse is a good idea but only if you can get quite a few competencies fulfilled for it.

Your mentor is not there to teach/train you by spoon feeding you what you need to know. Your learning is entirely up to you, no one will tell you you need to do better until it's becoming too late but do ask for feedback regularly.

It sounds scary but if you can get your head around all of this you'll do fine!