Nursing assignments/essays

So about a month ago (actually about 4 months ago...oops!) I handed in my first assignment, a 1000 word formative essay about lifelong learning and the skills and attributes needed to be effective. I got it back a couple of weeks ago and was pleased with my result - a healthy 63%. In 2 weeks we have to hand in the same essay but this time it's 2000 words and summative which means it counts towards our final mark for year 1. I'm hoping to at least retain the same grade or of course improve (if possible!) but can't seem to find the motivation to get going again. I feel that although the formative essay feedback was useful, finding another 1000 words for it seems impossible!

So now I'm technically on a 'self-directed study week', which so far has comprised of spending time with family and drinking obscene quantities of tea. I must be more productive with the rest of my time off...I mean my study week, ha!

UPDATE:

I handed in said summative essay (in July) and managed to get 70% which is a 1st. Weyhey! I now have another essay due at the beginning of November that I have not yet started...old habits and all that. Why is it that you consistently tell yourself that you aren't going to stress yourself out and do everything at the last minute again and yet it always happens?! One day Carlene, one day...

A lot going on...a quick update about life, OSCE, essay and placement

Well the last month has been rather crazy to say the least. I started to feel really poorly a few weeks ago - migraine, nausea, fever, exhaustion/insomnia...awful! After 4 days I went to visit the local walk-in centre who did a full set of obs and decided to send me off to A&E to get some blood tests as they didn't have the facilities and he was worried about my persistent fever and migraine. I waited for several hours at A&E (as is obvious!) to be told that I should take time out of university to recover and to stay away from work/uni/as many people as possible as they suspected I had Glandular Fever. ARGH! I waited (impatiently!) for my blood test results which thankfully came back negative for GF - turns out I just had an awful viral infection which took over 2 weeks to clear up.

Any way the reason I'm mentioning all of this is that it's caused me no end of hell due to the recent workload I've had but has taught me an awful lot about how things can build up and fall on you. I had an OSCE exam, an essay and placement prep to complete, all of which had to be put on hold whilst I recovered and waited for test results. I missed my OSCE and had to get an extension to finish my essay (boohoo!). I think the OSCE will now be in September so at least I have plenty of time to practice these skills prior to it and a 2 week extension for my essay. Of course that's helpful but I start placement tomorrow and now have to write this at the same time...oh dear. Best to get used to it now I suppose - lots of multitasking practice.

So on a MASSIVELY exciting note, I START PLACEMENT TOMORROW! TOMORROW!! I am ever so slightly excited right now and am writing as a way to get some of my excitement out so that I may get some sleep tonight and be fresh for tomorrow. I have a lovely 50 mile journey and won't be home until after 10pm so I'm straight in at the deep end. What an introduction to being a nurse?! Ha! Today we had our Trust induction where we covered mandatory training and received information about what we can expect and what is expected of us. We also received our Trust IDs. I took my (posed) preprepared photo with me (post photoshop) only to find out that they were taking our photographs anyway and our other photos were to be shoved in a file :(  So my ID photo is terrible and I look constipated and awkward, hahaha! Never mind, I'm hoping I can get a new picture taken if I decide to change my hair colour or something.

Any way, my uniform is ironed and packed, my paperwork is packed, as is my lunch, my fob, badges and my notebook and black pen, now I just have to get to bed. On that note - good night. I'll report back soon, if I have time to breathe of course :)