The week where it all got a bit real.
A fortnight of induction is over. And I'm sat here on a Saturday morning, surrounded by paperwork, books and a wealth of online resources feeling slightly more than a tad overwhelmed. I want to be a good student. I want to be the best nurse I can possibly be. I want to read everything and do everything and be everything and know everything. Right this second. But I can't. It's a 3 year degree with a lifetime's worth of CPD for a reason. I will never know it all.
It's been a fairly bitty week; admin, learning how to reference and reflect, meeting my personal tutor, and generally preparing for placement, including occupational health. I have been passed as fit for placement without any doubt or questions from my wonderful occupational health nurse. She said I look and sound like a different person to when she last saw me.This was a massive confidence boost and has reminded me that I am doing okay - I am still anxious and low at times but I am okay. I am coping and managing and I'm doing well. Occupational health also brought with it my final Hep B jab and in standard autonomic dysfunction style, I ended up in A+E but had the most fantastic care.
The final day of induction was all about preparing for placement. I have been allocated a stroke/medicine ward within my local trust. I am hugely anxious and overwhelmed by going into a speciality I know nothing about. However, I need to learn to accept that this is an acceptable and understandable anxiety (that is also tinged with excitement!) and that I will have this feeling at least 9 times during my course! For the next three weeks I am in Uni. 9-5 Monday to Friday learning "the basics" before heading out onto the wards mid-March. Looking at my diary quite frankly makes me feel sick right now, but I am slowly recognising that some of this anxiety is also excitement.
I also know that the fact I'm feeling "overwhelmed" is a warning sign for me of trying to do too much at once and risking doing absolutely nothing at all. It's something that will ease once I've met with my mentor whose main goal will be to help me stay organised and prioritise and curb my perfectionism! Once everything is in place I am going to be surrounded by support both academically and in practice and I am so grateful that the Uni. and my local trust are giving me the best chance possible to be successful on this course.
For now? It's okay that it's overwhelming, daily to do lists are helping me to set reasonable goals to stay on top of things and it will ease as I get into the swing of things.
It's been a fairly bitty week; admin, learning how to reference and reflect, meeting my personal tutor, and generally preparing for placement, including occupational health. I have been passed as fit for placement without any doubt or questions from my wonderful occupational health nurse. She said I look and sound like a different person to when she last saw me.This was a massive confidence boost and has reminded me that I am doing okay - I am still anxious and low at times but I am okay. I am coping and managing and I'm doing well. Occupational health also brought with it my final Hep B jab and in standard autonomic dysfunction style, I ended up in A+E but had the most fantastic care.
The final day of induction was all about preparing for placement. I have been allocated a stroke/medicine ward within my local trust. I am hugely anxious and overwhelmed by going into a speciality I know nothing about. However, I need to learn to accept that this is an acceptable and understandable anxiety (that is also tinged with excitement!) and that I will have this feeling at least 9 times during my course! For the next three weeks I am in Uni. 9-5 Monday to Friday learning "the basics" before heading out onto the wards mid-March. Looking at my diary quite frankly makes me feel sick right now, but I am slowly recognising that some of this anxiety is also excitement.
I also know that the fact I'm feeling "overwhelmed" is a warning sign for me of trying to do too much at once and risking doing absolutely nothing at all. It's something that will ease once I've met with my mentor whose main goal will be to help me stay organised and prioritise and curb my perfectionism! Once everything is in place I am going to be surrounded by support both academically and in practice and I am so grateful that the Uni. and my local trust are giving me the best chance possible to be successful on this course.
For now? It's okay that it's overwhelming, daily to do lists are helping me to set reasonable goals to stay on top of things and it will ease as I get into the swing of things.
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