Student Nurse Blog Week 1

August 23rd 2004

Well, Hello everyone.

For those of you who do not know me, I’m Matthew. Since November last year I have been working at a District Hospital, based in Endoscopy, but also doing a rotation of shifts around the orthopaedic wards, surgical ward, medical wards, stroke rehab ward, MAU, CSU, and A+E.

I have wanted a career in medicine since forever, but due to other ambitions and projects have only just got round to going for it, at the age of 29 years old. I decided to go for a career in Nursing, as I feel it’s more rewarding and hands on than working as a Doctor .

Before joining the current District Hospital I am working at, I have spent a total of four years working as a care assistant in the private sector. I did three four month stints at a large general nursing and residential centre, where I did my in-house training. I worked for a total of five months part time at an EMI residential home, and three months full time at an EMI nursing and residential home. I also worked for a nursing agency for three months doing general, psychiatric, EMI, and learning disability placements. I have been interested in, and have read up on, psychology and psychiatry for the last five years and hold a diploma in psychology.

If you have been following my entries in the student nurse section of this website, you will see that I have gone to great lengths to apply for my nurse training, select the university, organise my accommodation, and visit my final choice on several occassions.

Anyway, I am now due to start my training on the 6th September at the University College Worcester and the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. I am moving from Somerset up to Worcester on the 3rd September. I have already got my accommodation organised in a house-share with three other student nurses . I have already applied for bank work at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital through NHS Professionals (who run the bank at the hospital).

On Monday I went up to Worcester to visit the hospital for one final time before I move up there. It was for my Occupational Health immunisation check. I literally spent five minutes there, as the nurse had already received most of my immunisation certificates and results. She wished me luck for my training. She told me that when I went to the interview with NHS Professionals to tell them that I had already been to Occupational Health and they were fine with me.

I am looking forward to my training, but it is also daunting. I am moving to a strange place, where I don’t know anyone, and where I have to start a new life - wow, so exciting . Anyway. I finish work for the current NHS Trust on the 31st August. I spend the 1st and 2nd September packing and move on the 3rd.

I am going for the diploma route due to the financial implications . I have no family, so do not have any parents or a partner to support me. I have decided that I will do the three year diploma course, so that I can have some funding in the form of the bursary. I will then work part time when I can at the Worcestershire Royal Hospital. During my main holidays (a total of 7 weeks a year) I will return to work for the current Trust where I work (only in Endoscopy this time). I am hoping that after the three years training I will qualify as a nurse. Then I hope to remain at the University for a further year or two (self-funded) to do a course I think is called ’Allied Health Studies’ which tops up your diploma to a degree. At the same time this course has five pathways you can take, one of which specialises you in Emergency Medicine (A+E). This is what I plan to take, as I would like to specialise in Emergency Medicine and love working in MAU, CSU, and A+E.

But never mind, that is all a long way off yet. I have to start my training first, then survive and get through my training and all those assignments and placements . I hope to do updates on this student nurse blog on a Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. However, for the first week at University you will have to bear with me until I get my password and access to the University and Hospital computers and the Internet.

I will blog to you all again soon.

Matt

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