Positively dyslexic nursing

Apologies for neglecting my blog I’ve been somewhat overwhelm with academic work and life. Today’s blog  is titled “The End is Nigh” reflects on stressors of final year academically and hopes to offer some support to those who are feeling the same .     First semester Went much as I anticipated with the usual anxieties and pressures that you expect from your third year and I was happy with my results. However, entering the second semester things started to deviate from plan. I was unable to access my hub placement due to issues at the hospital and was asked to start my sign off period at one of my past spoke placements. The risk in the first semester is to sit back and think I’ve got loads of time even with both your pad and academic work. But, try to plan ahead, get as much done as possible; as the old saying goes “don’t put off till tomorrow what can be done today“. Being ahead of the game is empowering and therapeutic. Second Semester The Sunday of the beg

One of my poems Student Nurses we are Students we are Nurses we train to be Books n' papers we read Essays we write Exams we take On placements we go In rain and snow Here, there and everywhere Skills we learn Friends we make Pride we take in all we do Not enough hours in a day To fit it all in 10 essays in the bin 5 break downs And a bottle of gin Trip and fall  A wall we hit Thoughts of failure, I've had enough it's too tough Something we all do Fellow student, now are friends To the rescue they come Words of support, an arm around the shoulder A text here and there It shows they care No ordinary students we are We've come so far Three years won't seen so long When the day comes B efore my name W ith honour and pride T itle of Nurse W e'll carry  So  Stay strong and Together Nurses we will become

Studying a Nursing degree can be intimidating at times; juggling both the academic and practical side of placements. There is a need for good scheduling to plan your time. As I mention in my last blog it has been a busy study time of late due to my Viva exam and writing my dissertation. The academic side of uni life can be a bit intimidating at times and dyslexia only exasperates these anxieties. Below are some of my strategies to combat this Firstly 1.  Plan your time  2.  DO NOT procrastinate  If you have a big project or multiple projects on the go and you don't know where to start, here are 6 strategies which can help you to plan your time effectively and reduce your stres s levels. Write a to do list: this will help prevent you from “conveniently” finding  excuses to avoid unpleasant and overwhelming tasks.   Prioritise your to-do list. This will enable you to quickly identify activities you need to be focusing on and the ones that you can leav

Firstly, sorry for not posting recently; life has been so very full on of late with preparation for exams and the dreaded ‘D’ word (dissertation). All this on top of the mind blowing whirlwind of emotions involved in attending the Student Nursing Times Awards, trying to find time to write my poetry and attend placement which leads me nicely on to this blog “ Spoke placements, spoke in the wheel or spoke in the Works ”     What is a spoke placement? For those who have not experienced a spoke placement, The NMC Standards for Pre-registratio n Nurse Education (2010)   argues that a spoke placement allows for a more flexible and innovative approach to practice learning. Spoke placements can last anything from 1 to 4 weeks and works alongside the hub placement. Typically, hub placements last longer, between 4 to 11 weeks, depending on a student’s year of study.   Positives/Negatives For me I find anything less than 3 weeks in a placement a wasted learning opportunity,

This blog reflects on my being shortlisted for and attending the Student Nursing Times Award 2019 the category I was shortlisted for was for was Outstanding Contribution to Student Affairs. Nomination process I first was told that I had been chosen to be nominated for the award by Alison Geeson she had sent me an email asking me to pop in to see her. I must say at first, I did think oh no what’s up? I was taken back and extremely proud just to be nominated and felt immensely proud. For my nomination, Alison had put together a portfolio of my achievements and letters from other staff to support and validate my nomination. The day Alison contacted me to advise I had been shortlisted for the award I can only describe as a Terrific Thursday; earlier that day I had a interview for a band 5 role on the ward I wanted to work at Bloxwich Hospital, Linden ward and had been notified I had been successful. I was feeling on top of the moon, as I was collecting my bag to make my way home

Tuesday the 12th was D-day, my interview for my Student Nursing Times Award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Affairs took place. I was up bright and early at 4.30am so I could catch the 6am train from Walsall to Birmingham New Street as I was meeting Alison Geeson the Head of Mental Health Nursing at the University of Wolverhampton. It was Alison who nominated me for the award; it was only right that she walk this path with me, so we made the journey to London together. Alison has been so supportive and encouraging of my endeavours whilst at the University. Including my poetry and establishing Positively Dyslexic Nursing, along with the brilliant Donna Harding (Graduate Teaching Assistant for Nursing at the University) who is my right arm in setting up the dyslexic support group and blog.   We arrived at Euston just after 9.00am, had coffee then made our way to the tube station. I got into a bit of a muddle thinking I’d lost my tube ticket so bought a replacement at th

Hip hip hooray!!!! Last Thursday my name was officially announced as being shortlisted for the Student Nursing times Award for Outstanding Contribution To Student Affairs. Wow what a feeling to see my name out there with so many other worthy and inspired students. So proud to run with Wolverhampton University Pack I think it says a great deal about the University that we have had three students shortlisted, myself, Ian Unit and Rachel Ashworth please follow the link for more information. Nursing Times Awards announcement In other news, I feel immense pride that the poem I wrote and recited for Nurses’ day has been transformed by the Wolverhampton University Art Department and now hangs on one of the walls of the Nursing floor along with art work depicting Nurses such as Florence Nightingale. To top it off, I now have the honour of being able to say it will be shared within the RCN’s online poetry collection which is being released in celebration of World Poetry Day on Marc