The BEST WAY to START PLACEMENT as a STUDENT

For student nurses, student midwives, apprentices, and all learners in clinical practice, it can feel scary starting placement in a hospital or any clinical area really. I have two top tips for you to give you the best way to start on your placement.

1️⃣ 'Make Friends'…and I am talking the professional type:
   - The Ward Clerk, Receptionist, Administrators - they are key people in the running of the unit you are in. The help the smooth admission and discharge of patients (so the patient flow through the unit) - a key learning objective in my opinion should always be understanding of, and demonstrating the ability to admit and discharge your patients.
   - The domestics, House Keepers - Not only do they keep the ward clean (Infection prevention control) but also ensure stock is replenished (learning about the types of equipment you are likely to come across, and even use yourself..so, make friends with these and wave goodbye to feeling awkward having to ask your assessor, or the staff member who has asked you for something, where it is, and even, what it is…

2️⃣ 'Observe and Absorb' (i.e. how to successful stand to watch and learn):
- In your first few days, it is perfectly acceptable to spend time just watching what happens around you…as long as you remember to make it clear you are observing to absorb, in order to help you undertake duties and responsibilities expected of you in the coming days and weeks of your placement. You can do this in 2 ways - by verbalising to the team that is what you are doing “Would it be ok if I watched you do the procedure/have that conversation/complete that document - so I can start learning how to do it myself?”

🥸 You can also do this by visibly showing interest; I am talking directly to you… yes you… you’ve been told before about your resting face… ;) We all have a concentration face, and it shows you really are tuned into focusing on the task at hand…but please please please work on developing at least a neutral resting face, and try not to look sad, or worse…annoyed! It is all about building self-awareness and insight… you’ll get there, and practice makes perfect… until that time, don’t be afraid to tell the team members that sometimes when you are concentrating you look X, so please just give me a sign that I may look unfavourable…

🎥 Want some more to watch:
•How to keep your Student identity on placement: Establish Yourself as a Learner in Pr...
•Never Fail / Overcoming Action Plans: NEVER FAIL! How to CONFIDENTLY overco...
•Get feedback on placement: GET FEEDBACK ON PLACEMENT

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Love and Respect,
Ben