Glimpses.
I initially wrote this blog post for STNBC and Britain's Nurses...you can view it on their site with a clicky here.
Recently, I had one of those shifts where I got glimpses of my future as a student and then a staff nurse...a shift where I fulfilled my role as an HCA but also caught glimpses of my future roles. I was working with some of my favourite nurses - it was a busy day, but in a nice way that made the shift pass. These nurses are my favourites because they're my friends, however they're also my favourites because they can see my potential and treat me with respect - not just as their skivvy.
On this day, I helped with washes, filled in food charts, assisted patients to mobilise, made trips to pharmacy and pathology. But I also got to help with catheterisation, to place an NG tube, to change a dressing. I did nothing above my role but just getting to experience these procedures - to lend a simple hand holding a leg, holding the patients hand and reassuring - I'm sure will benefit me when I move on. I have been incredibly blessed to start out on a ward that encourages development, that has enabled me to experience a variety of complex and acute illnesses.
The next few months are going to be strange ones. I've applied for secondment - interviews are in a couple of weeks time. I'm not feeling too confident as there are only 8 places and 40+ applicants. Ultimately, being seconded is neither here nor there - either way I will be a student nurse in September, however, it would make the process far easier financially. I wouldn't *have* to work, I could pick up shifts as and when I wanted - not because I need to to survive!
I truly love my current job - I think there is so much to be learnt as an HCA, yet by the same token I am getting itchy feet. I'm ready to progress, I'm ready to learn and to develop further than I can as a Band 2.
As an HCA, I get the pleasure of helping to run the dining room at lunchtime - giving patients some normality, getting them out of their beds and socialising with others. It's a particular hit with dementia patients and the older generation. I love spending time with them, talking about their lives, their stories. This week we even had a lady who'd had a pet gorilla in her time living abroad. People are so interesting and you can see the difference that time makes to some of them.
I'll miss that.
I'll be exchanging time spent with patients for time spent with paperwork. Time spent doing someone's hair or taking them for a walk for time spent doing someone's medications. All important jobs, just part of different roles. It's weird this time of transition. I love where I'm at, yet I'm excited for where I'm going. I'm desperate to develop yet petrified I'm going to fail. I'm comfortable as an HCA but I long to be challenged more.
I can only hope I'll love being a nurse as much as I love being an HCA.
Recently, I had one of those shifts where I got glimpses of my future as a student and then a staff nurse...a shift where I fulfilled my role as an HCA but also caught glimpses of my future roles. I was working with some of my favourite nurses - it was a busy day, but in a nice way that made the shift pass. These nurses are my favourites because they're my friends, however they're also my favourites because they can see my potential and treat me with respect - not just as their skivvy.
On this day, I helped with washes, filled in food charts, assisted patients to mobilise, made trips to pharmacy and pathology. But I also got to help with catheterisation, to place an NG tube, to change a dressing. I did nothing above my role but just getting to experience these procedures - to lend a simple hand holding a leg, holding the patients hand and reassuring - I'm sure will benefit me when I move on. I have been incredibly blessed to start out on a ward that encourages development, that has enabled me to experience a variety of complex and acute illnesses.
The next few months are going to be strange ones. I've applied for secondment - interviews are in a couple of weeks time. I'm not feeling too confident as there are only 8 places and 40+ applicants. Ultimately, being seconded is neither here nor there - either way I will be a student nurse in September, however, it would make the process far easier financially. I wouldn't *have* to work, I could pick up shifts as and when I wanted - not because I need to to survive!
I truly love my current job - I think there is so much to be learnt as an HCA, yet by the same token I am getting itchy feet. I'm ready to progress, I'm ready to learn and to develop further than I can as a Band 2.
As an HCA, I get the pleasure of helping to run the dining room at lunchtime - giving patients some normality, getting them out of their beds and socialising with others. It's a particular hit with dementia patients and the older generation. I love spending time with them, talking about their lives, their stories. This week we even had a lady who'd had a pet gorilla in her time living abroad. People are so interesting and you can see the difference that time makes to some of them.
I'll miss that.
I'll be exchanging time spent with patients for time spent with paperwork. Time spent doing someone's hair or taking them for a walk for time spent doing someone's medications. All important jobs, just part of different roles. It's weird this time of transition. I love where I'm at, yet I'm excited for where I'm going. I'm desperate to develop yet petrified I'm going to fail. I'm comfortable as an HCA but I long to be challenged more.
I can only hope I'll love being a nurse as much as I love being an HCA.
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