If I am honest, my initial week was quite unsettling for me as I wasn't sure what I would exactly cover and how I would explore my competencies as a student. The whole team welcomed me warmly and I felt at ease with so many friendly people and friendly faces, this always helps on placement, as it instills an openness to feel connected to the team and be able to ask questions and perhaps show the real me.
After the second week, I realised I had found my feet and seemed to have a growth in confidence in what I was doing and how I was learning to adapt to the community environment. I noticed a slight shift in dynamics in comparison to an acute setting, therefore, it perhaps was time I needed in order to settle into my new placement and for me to adapt to the community setting.
The community offers a more patient-centred approach and I feel collaboration within MDT is more apparent, which enhances patient experience and care. The patients I have met along my journey have all been friendly and really welcoming to myself as a student. I have really worked on trying to connect with my communication skills, really working to apply the right type of questions and more importantly how I am asking those questions.
I had an experience in clinic where a patient asked me why I was asking about his lower limbs and whether any oedema was present. This was a question I was not necessarily expecting, therefore felt slightly unprepared but with the support of my mentor, I answered the patient explaining about identifying and looking for signs of heart failure. The patient seemed happy with my response, as did my own mentor. I felt happy with my answer, but afterwards it made me realise how perhaps I am not fully prepared or informed on what I am asking and exactly looking for within an assessment. This learning experience has allowed me to know consider the small details of the reasons behind why I am asking certain questions and how it can help patients become empowered and encouragement to monitor their own health.
As I am currently half way through my placement journey, I am feeling motivated and happy for the positive learning experiences I am gaining. As the weeks pass me by, I realise I am now even closer to the real situation that in a year's time I will be graduating and beginning my career in nursing. This thought scares me at the moment but also excites me at the same time...I have a feeling I may not be the only student nurse feeling this way at this time in our study. I will continue to enjoy my placement and will shortly be making plans for my future international placement trip in the summer...I feel each experience and opportunity on placement now will inform my future experiences as a student nurse enabling me to continually grow.
"What we think, we become"
Temple in Laos for Reflection...
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