CAREERS STUDENT LIFE
YOUR PLACE ON THE WARD
do. In these moments, seize the opportunity to talk to patients, which is the best way of getting to know them. Hospitals can be very boring for patients and they often appreciate the opportunity for some conversation.
Nursing students should try being proactive on a first hospital placement. Holly Howe Watson offers advice
Speak to family
The first day of your first placement can be a daunting experience, especially for students who may not have worked in a hospital before. The pace can seem very fast and it may be difficult to know where you fit in. Approaching qualified staff or medical colleagues is not easy when everyone appears to be rushed off their feet and no one knows who you are. However, taking control of a situation and communicating effectively with staff and patients are very important nursing skills in any environment. Students can start developing these as soon as they arrive on placement. Here are some tips that might help to make it a little easier.
The same goes for patients’ relatives. They will appreciate you taking the time to speak to them when they come to visit. It can be particularly helpful to speak to the families of patients with dementia, as they can inform you about the patient’s likes and dislikes, such as what they prefer to eat and how they take tea.
GETTY IMAGES
Get to know your colleagues
Introduce yourself
It is good practice to introduce yourself when speaking to anyone you have not met before. This goes for patients and staff. Taking the time to tell people who you are before you speak to them will reassure them and show you care (see resources for the #hellomynameis campaign).
a list of questions throughout the day and wait for a quiet moment to ask them.
Offer to help
There are always ways to be helpful on the wards, even on
BE SENSITIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE’S SITUATIONS RATHER THAN WORRYING TOO MUCH ABOUT YOURSELF Ask questions
As long as you can gauge when it is not a good time for questions, fellow nursing staff usually appreciate an interest in what they are doing and are happy to answer questions. This shows you are eager to get involved. If the nurse you are working with is particularly busy, it is a good idea to make
your first day. If you find yourself at a loss, ask around if you can help. Nurses, healthcare assistants and therapists usually do need a hand and may be glad for the offer. What better way to start learning than to learn on the job?
Although it can seem nerve wracking to enter the staff room not knowing anyone, it is always better to be sociable. Let the other members of staff get to know you and take an interest in them – after all, you are going to become part of the team, even if temporarily. From the start, be sensitive to other people’s situations, rather than worrying too much about yourself and how you might fit in. Be bright, friendly and helpful when and where appropriate, but be quiet and tactful where that is preferable. If you tune in to the needs of the team and practise effective communication, you will soon feel a useful part of the team NS Holly Howe Watson is a third-year nursing student at King’s College, University of London
Speak to patients
Sometimes on placement you may feel you have nothing to
RESOURCES Student Life online rcnpublishing.com/page/ns/ students/student-life #hellomynameis http://hellomynameis.org.uk Compassion in practice www.england.nhs.uk/nursingvision
66 october 15 ::from vol 29 no 7 :: 2014 STANDARD Downloaded RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 04, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
YOUR PLACE ON THE WARD
do. In these moments, seize the opportunity to talk to patients, which is the best way of getting to know them. Hospitals can be very boring for patients and they often appreciate the opportunity for some conversation.
Nursing students should try being proactive on a first hospital placement. Holly Howe Watson offers advice
Speak to family
The first day of your first placement can be a daunting experience, especially for students who may not have worked in a hospital before. The pace can seem very fast and it may be difficult to know where you fit in. Approaching qualified staff or medical colleagues is not easy when everyone appears to be rushed off their feet and no one knows who you are. However, taking control of a situation and communicating effectively with staff and patients are very important nursing skills in any environment. Students can start developing these as soon as they arrive on placement. Here are some tips that might help to make it a little easier.
The same goes for patients’ relatives. They will appreciate you taking the time to speak to them when they come to visit. It can be particularly helpful to speak to the families of patients with dementia, as they can inform you about the patient’s likes and dislikes, such as what they prefer to eat and how they take tea.
GETTY IMAGES
Get to know your colleagues
Introduce yourself
It is good practice to introduce yourself when speaking to anyone you have not met before. This goes for patients and staff. Taking the time to tell people who you are before you speak to them will reassure them and show you care (see resources for the #hellomynameis campaign).
a list of questions throughout the day and wait for a quiet moment to ask them.
Offer to help
There are always ways to be helpful on the wards, even on
BE SENSITIVE TO OTHER PEOPLE’S SITUATIONS RATHER THAN WORRYING TOO MUCH ABOUT YOURSELF Ask questions
As long as you can gauge when it is not a good time for questions, fellow nursing staff usually appreciate an interest in what they are doing and are happy to answer questions. This shows you are eager to get involved. If the nurse you are working with is particularly busy, it is a good idea to make
your first day. If you find yourself at a loss, ask around if you can help. Nurses, healthcare assistants and therapists usually do need a hand and may be glad for the offer. What better way to start learning than to learn on the job?
Although it can seem nerve wracking to enter the staff room not knowing anyone, it is always better to be sociable. Let the other members of staff get to know you and take an interest in them – after all, you are going to become part of the team, even if temporarily. From the start, be sensitive to other people’s situations, rather than worrying too much about yourself and how you might fit in. Be bright, friendly and helpful when and where appropriate, but be quiet and tactful where that is preferable. If you tune in to the needs of the team and practise effective communication, you will soon feel a useful part of the team NS Holly Howe Watson is a third-year nursing student at King’s College, University of London
Speak to patients
Sometimes on placement you may feel you have nothing to
RESOURCES Student Life online rcnpublishing.com/page/ns/ students/student-life #hellomynameis http://hellomynameis.org.uk Compassion in practice www.england.nhs.uk/nursingvision
66 october 15 ::from vol 29 no 7 :: 2014 STANDARD Downloaded RCNi.com by ${individualUser.displayName} on Dec 04, 2015. For personal use only. NoNURSING other uses without permission. Copyright © 2015 RCNi Ltd. All rights reserved.
