So, it has now been around 137 days, or just over four months, since my first day at university. But who’s counting? With approximately three weeks to go before my first day on placement, I thought it would be useful to reflect on the experience. Maybe I’ll enjoy myself so much I’ll completely forget how I got there.
My first week at the university was preceded by a pre-course day which allowed me the opportunity to meet some of my cohorts, and to receive a brief overview of what was coming up over the three years of study; with the inclusion of health checks and the lovely Hep-B jabs.
Now I remember my first day of university vividly. I remember arriving an hour early and scanning the room repeatedly for a familiar face. I remember the coffee machine spurting coffee at me after forgetting to leave my mocha there for the coffee shot. I remember then spilling this drink all over my hands as I struggled to attach a simple lid. I remember time gradually moving slower and slower as the start time seemed to move further and further away. And most of all, I remember walking into the lecture room and thinking “what am I doing”.
During the introductions to the other students, my introduction had fixated on the fact that I had left my job. Now, it wasn’t useful information to the rest of the group, but I was still coming to the realisation that I had left, and I was entering the unknown. No day made me realise this more than that first day. I should point out, that I do not in any way have any regrets over this choice. The first week was filled to the rafters with meeting various lecturers and learning about their individual roles. While also told what was expected of us as students, and future professionals. It also gave me an opportunity to see how the learning experience could be expanded outside of the classroom, with encouragement to engage with social media positively. I have found it aids in connections with other professionals and gain further insight into what is happening within health and social care. I do highly recommend this. The most enjoyable part of the week was meeting with the partners in learning group on the final day.
The partners in learning group is a group of service users that help to shape the course content and delivery. They are a group of individuals with learning disabilities that have a positive impact on all aspects of the course by ensuring the lives of people with learning disabilities are heard. On the final day, we all played a game of people’s bingo. It not only allowed me to learn more about the other students but also them. I discovered just how much passion they had to ensure their voice was heard. Not just by us, but also a wider society with the roles they have in their communities. As I was not able to meet them during my interview process – a process they usually play an important role in – I found it a wonderful experience.
My first year consists of 6 modules:
- Public Health
- Essential Sciences of Nursing and Social Work
- Essential Nursing and Social Work Science and Practice
- Collaborative Practice
- Person-Centred Approach
- Relationship Centred Care
I have included a little diagram of how these relate to each other. And they do they relate to each other. It can be easy to see them as individual teaching, and there are parts talked about in one module that may not directly impact another. But it has quickly become evident to me just how much crossover there is between each module.
Alongside these modules there has been the first ten days of my Social Work skills days. I was initially a little apprehensive around the skills days, after prereading about them; they covered skills that I used within practice before starting the course. I will admit that I was wrong. The skills taught within the skills days may initially seem like basic skills everyone should have, such as admin skills. Instead, they were challenging and engaging and reinforced the idea that we are always learning, irrespective of our prior experience and knowledge. The skills days split my cohort up and gave me my first insight into collaborative working as a student, even if it was just with other Social Workers.
As part of the collaborative practice module, we were assigned a group of other health professionals to work with. My group included Adult and Children Nurses, Occupational Health, Paramedics, Social Workers and ODP’s. It was a fascinating insight into how people quickly assign themselves into their groups, based on their professional title. They had strong, and protected ideas of their role and how this related to individuals. I should say that I found them all fascinating, friendly and engaging. But it highlighted just how important educating on collaborative working is. We can sometimes forget that we have all chosen the career due to a desire to prevent, help or protect other individuals from harm. We share the same inherent goal. But too often professionals fall into the practice of assuming knowledge superiority, without sharing and communicating with those around them. Having a clear identity is important, but it is equally important to understand the roles others have.
The last two weeks have started to focus on the technical preparation as I move closer to my placement date. It is about giving us the knowledge base to be able to perform tasks safely with our service user group. It has included moving and handling, blood pressure checks, observations, medicine management, injections, epilepsy, PMVA, Aseptic techniques and infection control; amongst others. All skills that some associate with being a ‘real nurse’, and also the misconception of why some believe that LD nurses are not real nurses as we don’t practice these skills daily. When they are skills that anyone can learn. In reality, it is the skills of empathy, compassion, concern, integrity, honesty and patience that make a nurse.
It is interesting to think that at the start of the course I had little idea of what reflection in practice is, but it is something that I now find myself doing weekly, sometimes daily. As a student, I have learnt it is important not to compare your ability to those around you and accept your individuality. We are all unique, and this is evidenced in the classroom and individual learning styles. You may be a visual, aural, verbal, physical, logical, social or solitary learner. And that is ok. It is ok to be just one of them or a combination of all of them. My best advice so far is just to be you. Take the opportunities that are suitable for yourself and enjoy your time; it will go quickly. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, or to seek the support of your peers.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
