NEIL O’CONNOR
First placement: a survivor’s guide Nursing graduate Samantha Stonehouse shares some invaluable tips on how to cope with the shock of the new As I await my Nursing and Midwifery Council pin number at the end of my three-year programme, I find myself looking back on my first placement. Walking on to the ward with a freshly ironed uniform, new shoes
and feelings of terror, excitement and uncertainty is an experience I can never forget. I would like to offer this year’s new students some tips I have collected along the way to alleviate those first placement anxieties.
Make your reflection count
Lynn Brown offers a framework for how to enhance practice by learning from events Nursing students are invariably asked to write a reflective account of some aspect of their practice as part of their course. At first, this seems a more straightforward task than many other assignments. After all, it only requires the student to
reflect on an experience. What could be simpler? But this assumption can be the first stumbling block from which confusion and frustration often follow. It can be avoided with a bit of advice on how to use the reflective framework that is most commonly used in nursing education, namely the Gibbs model (see resources). The description Students often try to describe too much, rather than focusing on a specific incident that had an effect.
First impressions
Become familiar with where to find the kettle – a cup of tea is the key to social interaction and becoming a member of the team. Offering colleagues a cup of tea not only creates a good impression but also opens up the opportunity for social engagement and interaction. It will help calm your nerves too.
Feelings Students often make judgments about what happened, instead of describing their feelings about the event. An initial feeling may be one of trepidation, then growing confidence and finally relief and satisfaction. Evaluation This part of the reflection determines its success. A useful way of approaching this is to think of three aspects
RESOURCES Gibbs Reflective Learning Model tinyurl.com/GibbsRLM Reflective practice and how to do it tinyurl.com/CSPRefPr
NURSING STANDARD Nursing Standard 2014.29:72-73. Downloaded from journals.rcni.com by 113.160.132.122 on 06/21/16. For personal use only.
72 september 24 :: vol 29 no 4 :: 2014
STUDENT SUPPLEMENT
Engage with colleagues
The team surrounding you is your best resource for knowledge and information, so use it while you can. Be inquisitive, make use of the whole multidisciplinary team and do not be afraid to challenge ideas. Be courageous and speak to doctors, managers and other professionals to further your knowledge and improve your confidence. This certainly helped me and reassured me that doctors are people too. There is no such thing as a stupid question and being assertive will help you to improve your knowledge.
Always carry two pens and a notepad
Ideas strike and handy contacts appear at the most unexpected moments. Make notes of acronyms, unfamiliar phrases and interesting facts to return to for further research or discussions with your peers.
Say yes
A fellow nursing graduate advised me to say yes to every available learning opportunity. I became an active student mentor, a joint finalist for the Andrew Parker student nurse of the year award, a speaker at national conferences
that went well and one that did not. These can be used as the framework for the analysis. The analysis Use the four evaluative judgments described in the previous section and, with reference to appropriate literature or theory, discuss why your actions and the actions of others were good or not so good. Describing an action that did not go so well enables discussion
NURSING STANDARD
and found myself in the House of Commons with the nursing elite. Saying yes to new opportunities and challenges will help you develop as a nurse and as an individual. Training courses, extra-curricular activities, teaching and mentoring will open doors to new prospects.
Reflect on your practice
Learn from any negative experiences you may have. If you are faced with a daunting task or an unfamiliar situation, ask for support and think of innovative ways to tackle the problem. Your peers are your greatest asset and biggest supporters, and they will help you through the hard times and celebrate the amazing ones. If you grasp every opportunity, stay positive and remember why you have entered this turbulent profession, you will have the adventure of a lifetime. I am now so proud to be a nurse and cannot wait to see what the future holds for me NS Samantha Stonehouse recently graduated from Liverpool John Moores University as a mental health nurse and was runner up in the 2014 Nursing Standard Student Award
of what you could have done to improve the event. Reference the literature to justify your recommendations. Action plan This is the purpose of the reflection. What have you learned and how will it affect your practice? The content of this section depends on the event, your evaluation and analysis NS Lynn Brown is a former lecturer in nursing
The portfolio is your key to self-development Miriam McMullan explains the benefits of a dynamic record The Nursing and Midwifery Council requires all registered nurses to maintain a portfolio to record their post-registration education and practice (PREP). At its most basic, a portfolio is a collection of evidence. In nursing education, however, a portfolio represents a dynamic record of learning, progress and achievement. Developing a portfolio can be a catalyst for students’ professional and personal growth, particularly through the process of reflective practice and critical analysis of the evidence you provide. The process of developing the portfolio can lead to an awareness of your own skills, strengths and limitations. Your portfolio will encourage you to develop self-reflection, to take charge of your lifelong learning and help prepare you for post-registration practice. As information is accumulated, portfolios will boost your self-esteem and confidence. Through reflection you will be able to identify gaps in your knowledge, skills and competence, and reconfirm your strengths. Here are some tips to remember: Your portfolio should include details of your assignments, learning activities such as seminars, workshops, online discussions and a reflection on your placements, with a rationale for including these items. It is important the portfolio shows how critical reflection on its contents demonstrates learning. Too much information can create an unwieldy collection of documents; too streamlined a portfolio can become a sterile exercise. Reflecting on your achievements might sound daunting at first but there are many reflective models available (see article opposite). Finally, developing a portfolio can be time consuming, so it is important to prevent the portfolio from becoming a last-minute effort. Although many nursing students feel unsure about developing a portfolio, it should be seen as a journey of personal and professional development. Most students are proud of the learning they have achieved on completion of their portfolio NS Miriam McMullan is a lecturer at Plymouth University
september 24 :: vol 29 no 4 :: 2014 73 Nursing Standard 2014.29:72-73. Downloaded from journals.rcni.com by 113.160.132.122 on 06/21/16. For personal use only.
First placement: a survivor’s guide Nursing graduate Samantha Stonehouse shares some invaluable tips on how to cope with the shock of the new As I await my Nursing and Midwifery Council pin number at the end of my three-year programme, I find myself looking back on my first placement. Walking on to the ward with a freshly ironed uniform, new shoes
and feelings of terror, excitement and uncertainty is an experience I can never forget. I would like to offer this year’s new students some tips I have collected along the way to alleviate those first placement anxieties.
Make your reflection count
Lynn Brown offers a framework for how to enhance practice by learning from events Nursing students are invariably asked to write a reflective account of some aspect of their practice as part of their course. At first, this seems a more straightforward task than many other assignments. After all, it only requires the student to
reflect on an experience. What could be simpler? But this assumption can be the first stumbling block from which confusion and frustration often follow. It can be avoided with a bit of advice on how to use the reflective framework that is most commonly used in nursing education, namely the Gibbs model (see resources). The description Students often try to describe too much, rather than focusing on a specific incident that had an effect.
First impressions
Become familiar with where to find the kettle – a cup of tea is the key to social interaction and becoming a member of the team. Offering colleagues a cup of tea not only creates a good impression but also opens up the opportunity for social engagement and interaction. It will help calm your nerves too.
Feelings Students often make judgments about what happened, instead of describing their feelings about the event. An initial feeling may be one of trepidation, then growing confidence and finally relief and satisfaction. Evaluation This part of the reflection determines its success. A useful way of approaching this is to think of three aspects
RESOURCES Gibbs Reflective Learning Model tinyurl.com/GibbsRLM Reflective practice and how to do it tinyurl.com/CSPRefPr
NURSING STANDARD Nursing Standard 2014.29:72-73. Downloaded from journals.rcni.com by 113.160.132.122 on 06/21/16. For personal use only.
72 september 24 :: vol 29 no 4 :: 2014
STUDENT SUPPLEMENT
Engage with colleagues
The team surrounding you is your best resource for knowledge and information, so use it while you can. Be inquisitive, make use of the whole multidisciplinary team and do not be afraid to challenge ideas. Be courageous and speak to doctors, managers and other professionals to further your knowledge and improve your confidence. This certainly helped me and reassured me that doctors are people too. There is no such thing as a stupid question and being assertive will help you to improve your knowledge.
Always carry two pens and a notepad
Ideas strike and handy contacts appear at the most unexpected moments. Make notes of acronyms, unfamiliar phrases and interesting facts to return to for further research or discussions with your peers.
Say yes
A fellow nursing graduate advised me to say yes to every available learning opportunity. I became an active student mentor, a joint finalist for the Andrew Parker student nurse of the year award, a speaker at national conferences
that went well and one that did not. These can be used as the framework for the analysis. The analysis Use the four evaluative judgments described in the previous section and, with reference to appropriate literature or theory, discuss why your actions and the actions of others were good or not so good. Describing an action that did not go so well enables discussion
NURSING STANDARD
and found myself in the House of Commons with the nursing elite. Saying yes to new opportunities and challenges will help you develop as a nurse and as an individual. Training courses, extra-curricular activities, teaching and mentoring will open doors to new prospects.
Reflect on your practice
Learn from any negative experiences you may have. If you are faced with a daunting task or an unfamiliar situation, ask for support and think of innovative ways to tackle the problem. Your peers are your greatest asset and biggest supporters, and they will help you through the hard times and celebrate the amazing ones. If you grasp every opportunity, stay positive and remember why you have entered this turbulent profession, you will have the adventure of a lifetime. I am now so proud to be a nurse and cannot wait to see what the future holds for me NS Samantha Stonehouse recently graduated from Liverpool John Moores University as a mental health nurse and was runner up in the 2014 Nursing Standard Student Award
of what you could have done to improve the event. Reference the literature to justify your recommendations. Action plan This is the purpose of the reflection. What have you learned and how will it affect your practice? The content of this section depends on the event, your evaluation and analysis NS Lynn Brown is a former lecturer in nursing
The portfolio is your key to self-development Miriam McMullan explains the benefits of a dynamic record The Nursing and Midwifery Council requires all registered nurses to maintain a portfolio to record their post-registration education and practice (PREP). At its most basic, a portfolio is a collection of evidence. In nursing education, however, a portfolio represents a dynamic record of learning, progress and achievement. Developing a portfolio can be a catalyst for students’ professional and personal growth, particularly through the process of reflective practice and critical analysis of the evidence you provide. The process of developing the portfolio can lead to an awareness of your own skills, strengths and limitations. Your portfolio will encourage you to develop self-reflection, to take charge of your lifelong learning and help prepare you for post-registration practice. As information is accumulated, portfolios will boost your self-esteem and confidence. Through reflection you will be able to identify gaps in your knowledge, skills and competence, and reconfirm your strengths. Here are some tips to remember: Your portfolio should include details of your assignments, learning activities such as seminars, workshops, online discussions and a reflection on your placements, with a rationale for including these items. It is important the portfolio shows how critical reflection on its contents demonstrates learning. Too much information can create an unwieldy collection of documents; too streamlined a portfolio can become a sterile exercise. Reflecting on your achievements might sound daunting at first but there are many reflective models available (see article opposite). Finally, developing a portfolio can be time consuming, so it is important to prevent the portfolio from becoming a last-minute effort. Although many nursing students feel unsure about developing a portfolio, it should be seen as a journey of personal and professional development. Most students are proud of the learning they have achieved on completion of their portfolio NS Miriam McMullan is a lecturer at Plymouth University
september 24 :: vol 29 no 4 :: 2014 73 Nursing Standard 2014.29:72-73. Downloaded from journals.rcni.com by 113.160.132.122 on 06/21/16. For personal use only.
