Pre-placement visit and First proper day.

Last Friday was my pre-placement visit to my placement, I got there and spent about 2 1/2 hours there, met a couple of the patients and got chatting to some of the staff, and then got invited to sit in on the handover which was quite interesting as it helped to hear about the patients and what has been going on with them and how they are doing. Saw the pharmacist too and she said if there was anything I wanted to know just to ask her, so I mentioned about certain drug calculations I have been having trouble with and she said to make a list and then come and see her next with it and she will help me. GREAT, that makes me feel tons better :)

Fast forward to yesterday and my 1st day of placement, Arrived really early for my shift which started at 1pm and then got chatting to my mentor and some of the other staff and saw some more patients, also there were the other 2 students that are also on placement on my ward but they were both doing the early shift so only got the get to know then for about 2 hours before they left for the day. Lucky we all have different mentors so it does not get confusing plus we all have sub-mentors too so that there is always someone about. Shame that my mentor and sub mentor are both off for the next 2 weeks from today...EEEEEEKKKKK....But I don't think that will be too much of a problem as everyone is so nice and easy to chat to and get help from that I am sure I will be OK.

Had a long chat with my mentor about what learning outcomes I can reach while on my placement within reason, so have got my 3 to aim for, first being communication and then 2nd being drug administration and the 3rd being observations. So I have now got to work on filling in the rest of the relevant sections that I have not done already and then get observed doing this too so that I can be signed off to say that they believe me to be competent.

Walked around the ward getting to know the patients and through out the day was told some bizarre and quite interesting stuff by different patients, it had already opened my eyes so much I can tell you. Got the chance to use their "RIO" database where all the patient records were kept and started reading the notes of patients that I had met and so I could connect their faces and names to their case history, some of the things these people have gone through, it's no wonder they are suffering from psychotic episodes.

At one point I was left on my own in the office while everyone was doing stuff and I was still looking at patient notes, I think the full moon might have something to do with the randomness of the evening for sure, one person wanted to use the phone to call hi mum, another wanted to ring for a pizza, someone was ringing the buzzer to get in (I hadn't been shown how to let people in) but I couldn't, then a guy's brother was leaving after his visit and gave me £25 for him to put in the safe, hadn't been shown how to do that either, one of the other phones started ringing and 2 patients were standing at the door needing attention. To say I was a little overwhelmed was an understatement, but I decided to prioritise what I could do first, so the buzzer and the phone had to wait while I dealt with the patients at the door. But I have to say I quite like working the late shift.

My mentor left me go 45 mins early, I think she was feeling generous and she was there when I arrived early so I'm sure that must of impressed her even though she didn't say it.

Today I start my 2nd day, and it's another late shift, This time I am taking in lunch, it is far too cold to trek about to the shops to buy food...

Oh and better locate my wooly scarf...my neck will thank me for it :)