First Day

Like the awkward second series, the first day on placement is always a tough one.

My mentor - not a good sign - wasn't in, so I joined up with a lovely, if slightly chaotic, newly registered nurse. She just sort of assumed I knew how to do more than I did, which is a good way to learn. I have the balls to speak up when there's something I don't know how to do, and at the same time I get to learn.

The main problem is that you're placed into a new ward and entirely new situation. Surgical nursing is a lot more chaotic than what I'm used to. Ontop of that, I know few of the staff and fewer of the patients.

Suffice to say a competent YearOneSemesterOne placement nursing student does not make a competent YearOneSemesterTwo nursing student. It is still, nevertheless, fun to work and learn. Once I managed to shake this fatigue.

Get me back into the swing of things, someone.

I witnessed and helped in a few completely new things today, though. I witnessed a vac-dressing, which is basically special dressing and pieces of foam sealed onto the skin and closed up by removing all of the air using a funky machine. The wound has to be pretty darned grizzly to need this sort of dressing, but it was fun to see.

I had my first experience of speaking to several departments through one day, got to experiment with ANTT (anti-septic no touch technique) and dress a wound for the first time ever. Plus I got to know some of the patients, which is clearly vital.

A good day. But I need to get my mojo back.