Wednesday 23 January 2013

Stuck In A Rut


Last semester proved a tad stressful for me. I worked hard, agonised hard, and then agonised some more, and fortunately, it paid off. I decided from the very start of second year that I would be going after that first classification all guns blazing, and for a while there, I did. However, things aren’t exactly going according to plan this semester. My motivation it seems has completely deserted me: nowhere to be found, and as a direct result my work ethic currently leaves a lot to be desired.

The problem is I’m enjoying life too much. Not being on placement and having to endure shifts that make me delirious with exhaustion, combined with not having to write any soul-destroying and panic-attack-inducing assignments leaves plenty of time to... you know... have a life! All this temporary freedom is intoxicating, and I’m definitely making the most of it. I find being on placement quite isolating at times, and not surprisingly, I miss my friends and family dreadfully. As soon as placement is over, I have my diary out and phone at the ready; determined to eradicate absolutely any evidence of ‘free time’ whatsoever. But I digress. Soon all this splendid social freedom will be over, and it will be time to return once again to normality; which for a student nurse usually means being on placement, being in bed, or being in the library (hopefully).

I'm acutely aware of the importance of work/life balance, so it's not surprising that after a particularly full-on period of hard work or long placement, I feel the need to distance the nursing side of things for a little while - hence the persistent study struggles, not to mention lack of blogging! However, I am determined to turn things around as of today. I’m just going to watch Come Dine with Me first...

Monday 7 January 2013

Midpoint Musings


Now that the first semester of second year is finally over, I’m (sort of) officially halfway through my degree. I am genuinely confused as to how this has happened?! Obviously I know how this has happened, but I’m shocked (and scared) at how quickly it has come around. To put my amazement and confusion into perspective, let me point out that this very time last year I had precisely one semester under my belt, and was consequently only a ninth of the way through the programme. To further illustrate my point, I realised over Christmas that by the time the festivities roll round again I will be scouting around for jobs in preparation for when I qualify! I’m starting to have palpitations so I think I’ll leave that thought process there for now, but you get my drift.

I’ve been told by many people that second year is the hardest year: not just because of the increased workload, but also due to the fact that you’re in a state of nursing limbo. I have to say that I’m starting to understand what they meant. For example, whilst I know infinitely more on all things nursing and health than I did this time last year, I still struggle to utilise this information critically in a real practice environment (read: I am rubbish at assessments). However, I am also aware that these things will come in their own good time - I am not supposed to be the finished article at this juncture (is my new mantra).

I am genuinely amazed at the transformation of myself and my peers during these last 18 months, and I am unashamedly proud of us all. With each passing day we develop and evolve into better and more competent nurses, and I for one couldn’t have hoped for more when I started on this incredible journey all those months ago.