My First Couple of Days as a Student Nurse!

I've just finished my second day at uni and it's all getting very exciting. We were introduced to our Guidance Tutor (GT) and group, told where our placement area will be, given lots of info about the course itself, given our PPDF file thingys (I think they're a record of the skills we build in placements but not so sure yet), measured for our uniforms, given our 'Student Nurse' badges, given lots of paperwork and timetables etc and given a tour of the university and clinical skills areas. We've generally had a lot of free time so far but I'm expecting this to change rather rapidly. I'm really chuffed with my GT and group but not so much with my placement area. It means travelling up to 70 miles each way for some hospitals which would be impossible for me. I'm in discussions with my tutors to try and change this though so hoping for the best.

Not much to report as of yet but here's a pic of some lil things I've collected :) 

Excited for the next few weeks!

Staying Balanced & Healthy, both Physically & Emotionally

It is so  important to maintain who you are whilst doing something very stressful so that you can retain some balance in your life. In fact one of the biggest pieces of advice I've been given for starting this course is to try my best to make time for myself and the things I enjoy. The way I intend to do this throughout my time at university is to keep up my hobbies and make damn sure I do. I always tend to get lost in what I'm doing but this time I've promised myself that it'll be different. My current front runner hobbies are playing with make-up, reading books and exercising regularly. Perhaps a touch of meeting friends and consuming a lil bit of my old mate Rosè wine and Bournville choccy :) I WILL keep this up, I will! (Perhaps just the wine and choc :0p)

I'll keep you posted on my success levels :0/

I Start Uni this Month: My Nursey Supplies

Hi there!

So...it's now March, the month that my course begins. How very exciting...and nerve racking/terrifying! :O This aside, it's been an age since I posted so thought I'd do a lil post about the items I've collected for uni. Collecting things has helped to prevent me being so impatient...hence the volume of things I have, some more unnecessary than others, ha! Some were gifts, some are things I've had for a while and some are little treats that I insisted on purchasing. Have a gander if you wish :)

So here's a little list of what I've got and where to get them:

• Various post-it notes - Asda - £1
• NU notebook with dividers, lined, plain, squared paper and index cards - Asda - £3
• Hole punch - Asda - £2
• File of index cards - Asda - £1 
• Small notebook for placement notes - Asda - £0.50
• Folder - Staples - £4
• Mini stapler with 1000 staples - Asda - £2
• Memory pen - Mam - £Free :)
• Planner (with photo) - personal-planner.co.uk - approx £20
• Box of various bull clips, paper clips, etc. - Staples - £2 (bargain sale!)
• Cork board pins - Wilkinsons - £1
• Love pencil case - Wilkinsons - £2 with highlighters inside (£1 for 10)
• ID badge holder - goodiesfornurses.co.uk - £?? (Gift)
• Tourniquet - goodiesfornurses.co.uk - £?? (Gift)
• Injection pens - goodiesfornurses.co.uk - £?? (Gift)
• Scissors - goodiesfornurses.co.uk - £?? (Gift)
• Bristol Stool Chart Air Freshener - goodiesfornurses.co.uk - £?? (Gift)
• Tetley's Tea bags - Gift :)
• Casio Calculator - Stationary Box (had since I started Secondary school and still works - excellent stuff!)
• Bic Coloured pencils - (Also had for a long time)
• The Student Nurse Handbook - Bethann Siviter
• Bailliere's Nurse's Dictionary
• The Human Body - DK
• Palgrave's Cite Them Right
• The Royal Marsden Hospital Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures (Student Edition)
• The Illustrated Atlas of the Human Body - Beverly McMillan
• Nursing Calculations
• Ross and Wilson Anatomy and Physiology text book and work book
• Littmann Stethoscope Classic II S.E. in ocean blue - £?? - Gift

Still to get/things I want:

• Comfy/ugly nursey shoes
• Fob watch
• Pocket organiser
• Tote bag for books
• Clinical pocket reference guides
• Hand sanitiser and clip
• Blood pressure cuff
• Micropore tape
• Dictaphone 
• BNF Drugs guide

The books I've mentioned can be found in most good book shops, either online or in store. I purchased all  of mine when they were on offer and bought some second hand to avoid paying too much. I think I may be going a little bit mad with all of this...but I don't care. It's all a very exciting journey and I like being prepared for it. I'm slightly nervous about relearning about the body etc. so went a little crazy with A&P books. I should be a genius by the time I've made my way through this lot!