It's a bit of a whirlwind

 I’ve just completed my first round of shifts and it’s been another of those whirlwind weeks. My first week as Staff Nurse Writingale in the NHS, and I’m not sure just how much I will remember, there’s been so much to take in.

I couldn’t believe how quickly my new starter details were processed – I suppose it reflects just how desperate the NHS is for nurses. Before I’d had a chance to say ‘A pint of Old Peculiar and a toffee crisp chaser’, my DBS was through and my references received. All of a sudden, my conditional offer was honoured and I was officially on board.

Scary but very exciting! 

I’d forgotten how fast paced things were in the ward environment and how many people there are from the MDT who pop in and out. I’m not the best at remembering names so I’m sure I’ll get some things wrong! I won’t forget one of the Registrar’s names though. I was looking at some notes on the computer when he was paged. He picked the phone up and announced ‘ Dyer ‘ere’! I automatically looked at his pants and I think he thought I was checking him out. That was one of those wannabe ground-swallowing moments – my face must have looked like a giant tomato when he caught me looking!

 The first couple of days were a mix of induction, training and orientation around the ward. I also met most of the ward team who have been really welcoming and all looked after me. There’s only a couple of nurses that I haven’t met yet as they are on annual leave but they are back next week. One of the girls raised her eyebrows when I mentioned them, but I didn’t say anything – if they’re as welcoming as the rest of the team then I can see myself being very happy here.

 Our unit is quite unique. It’s been going for a few years now but is working well to make sure that elderly patients get the right care in the right place. I’ve learnt this week that before the unit was up and running, elderly patients coming into the hospital could have as many as five different moves between wards during their stay. Can you imagine that? It must be bad enough feeling poorly and all alone without being shunted from pillar to post and made to feel not wanted. To try to prevent that, our ward was introduced (seriously, this was the history lesson I received as part of my induction and it helped me to realise what a valuable service we offer).

Our job is to make an assessment during the first 24 hours of admission so that the patient can be transferred to the most appropriate ward. Our target is to move people on within that 24-hour period so you can imagine just how busy the unit is! We do have a few patients who stay for longer than that though; that’s usually because there isn’t a bed available on the ward that is most suitable or because we are waiting for a package of care to be set up at home. I’ve got to know a few of those patients this week and their situations really are quite sad.

 This is all so new to me. I’m used to patients being residents and getting to know them for the long journey. It seems a bit weird only having a brief connection with them before they move on, but I have tried my best to make hospital seem not such a scary place this week.

It is seriously busy though! There are ward rounds every morning and even at the weekends. I’ve been allowed to join a couple of them but was advised by the nurse who’s been looking after me just to observe and not to speak unless I was asked something directly. No chance of that! They are all so confident and knowledgeable that I am going to soak all of this up like a sponge before I even dare squeak!

 It’s all a bit weird focusing so heavily on the medical model too when I’ve been so used to considering people’s social needs. The hospital social workers really do try their hardest to push that side of patient’s needs, so it ends up fairly balanced. I mustn’t forget that patients are admitted often because they have had an acute episode of illness at home so it’s only right that their medical needs are discussed at length. I can see that my clinical skills are going to be tested to the max, but on the upside, they are also going to be mega developed too.

 All in all, it’s been a cracking week. I so feel like the new girl at school but everyone has taken me under their wing. The charge nurse collared me as I was just about to finish today and said that he had received some positive reports about me from my colleagues and again I blushed like a silly school girl! I don’t feel like I’ve done much this week as part of the team but I feel reassured that I must be doing something right! 

I’m about to crack open a bottle of real ale, just to celebrate getting through my first week without making a fool of myself! That’s something I’m also not used to, usually some drama or catastrophe finds me.

I mustn’t get too cocky though – there’s always next week.