jenlawrence88
Diary Dude
Global user
Registered: 10-2008
Posts: 21
Karma: 1 (+1/-0)
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Update on placement, 3 weeks in :)
Hello!
So im coming up to my 3rd week. Ive got a day off today, then im working 7-3 tomorrow up untill friday. Then is 3 days off and back to uni for a week. The placement is 12 weeks in total, but we have odd uni weeks thrown in every 3 weeks.
The nursing home is going ok. Im not getting much opportunities yet. But is is only my first placement after all. I havent worked with my mentor yet. Im a bit concerned about this, as uni state you are to work atleast 15hours a week with your mentor :s
Shes doing my first meeting tomorrow with me, so ill get a chance to talk to her more about this hopefully.
So over the last 2 weeks, i have been with the carers. I spent my first week on 9-5's. I have to say i didnt like that shift at all. I was always feeding someone as i was meant to be going home. So claire redid my hours for this week just gone. Ive been on a mixture of 07:00-15:00's and 13:00-21:00's. The late shifts are nice and relaxed but also can drag, but have nicer staff on. Where as the mornings go super quick and are very busy. So there are good aspects to both.
Ive learnt so far:
- Most of the names of the residents
- My way around a very large house!
- Bed baths
- Normal baths
- Incontinence pad changing
- Lots of moving and handling (loads of hoisting - most popular. And seen a turning pad being used a few times. First time id seen this actually. Then ive used sliding sheets a few times also.)
- Catheter bag changing
- How to make their beds
- Feeding
- Toiletting - although ive not experienced using bed pans yet. Im intrigued about these as i can work out how they work :s
- General stuff liek the tea trolley, dishing out food, keeping the residents rooms tidy and putting laundry away)...
Now ive had 2 weeks of this, i feel very happy with it all and im actually enjoying it. But i really want to work with Claire and the nurses now. I havent got a clue what the role of the nurse is in a care home :s All ive seen her do is paper work and drug trolley. I dont even know what the paper work is! Probably care plans :s
Had a bit of an experience in palliative care yesterday. A lady is dying, she is in bed all day everyday. Hasnt taken any food/water for the last 4 days now. Her hands and feet are purple and splotchy and shes rattling. Although somehow keeps clearing herself. Very strange. She stops breathing for an average of 1minute each time, probably every 2 minutes. She has been like it since last sunday. And as far as i know is still going bless her. She has no family, the only family she has is a neice who is married. The husbands 65th birthday is today but he cant see her as he finds it distressing. We all think she is hanging on for him to come and see her.
Its horrible to see someone die. She is very peaceful and is having pain control. She apparently went down really quickly. The carer said she got dementia as quick as overnight and has only had it 2 months and now shes on palliative care. Id like to know more about it (the type of dementia, her symptoms etc) as i didnt know her very well before this happened.
Anyway, apart from all that its going ok. Ive not had any skills signed off yet but they will get done im sure. Ive got 10 weeks left with them. Lets hope that i get my time in the with nurses!
There is another student nurse with me, shes my mums best bud, so thats nice to have a familiar face with me.
I watched as a carer helped a nurse with the drugs round the other day, and i couldnt work out why she was doing it and why i wasnt? Turns out she is another student nurse who is also a carer there... hmm.
Ive got the bank job  They called yesterday to offer me a conditonal position on health clearance. Its the same occy health unit as my uni so itll be fine as ive obviously been cleared with them.
Just a bit worried about how long the trust induction/training will be!! And if i can fit it in with uni/placements. Ahh!
Had my first assignment, "what is mental health" its a 3000 word essay, in end of june. Ive done only 500 words at the moment. Struggling to get motivated! Your meant to choose a resident, i think im going to choose the lady on palliative care, but my main will be a different lady who is extremely lovely. She also has dementia, and has had it a while. She talks to herself about previous experiences. Shes always with a baby doll, and she calls me audrey quite often. I still dont know who audrey is, but im guessing maybe a friend? Lol. She has a good sense of humour still though. Loves to talk! Even if you cant make sense of the conversation.
.... anyway! Enough of my blabbering, im off! Byee! x
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9/May/2009, 5:31 pm
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Midnight Princess
Diary Dude
Global user
Registered: 05-2009
Posts: 18
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
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Re: Update on placement, 3 weeks in :)
All the best with the bank job.
Good luck with your assignment.
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16/May/2009, 9:16 pm
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