Going into your final nursing placements?

Meet Chulani! A Graduate Registered Nurse working in Melbourne.

So I’m from Sri Lanka and migrated to Australia about 5 years ago. I did my Bachelors in Science majoring in Developmental biology (neonatology/embryology) and was hoping to continue on the path to becoming a medical researcher. I even got into honours. But then I came across the Master of Nursing Practice course at Monash and realised this will allow me to work in the clinical environment where I can actually help people in real life (because researchers are boxed in labs and we cannot really see the end product of what we do).

I’m absolutely loving the satisfaction I get from nursing because I find happiness in helping people and I find satisfaction in begin able to be intellectually stimulated too.
My name is Chulani Kaluarachchi. I completed my Master of Nursing Practice at Monash University and is now working as a Registered Nurse at Monash Health

Plan early to settle your nerves …

The first day of any placement can be really daunting, especially if it’s your final placement as a student nurse. There is often a lot at stake, and students frequently have to jump straight into the deep end. To make life easier for yourself, as soon as you find out your allocation, start planning! How are you going to get to your ward? If you are using public transport, find out the stations you get to and from. If you are driving, check if you have access to parking near the hospital, or whether the route you’ll take has heavy traffic.

If you have time, travel to the hospital on a day prior to starting just to get a feel of the journey. Once you know what type of ward you are going into, try to research on the common medications or procedures done there. Find out who your preceptors or educators are and maybe send them an email introducing yourself. The abovementioned tips are simple things you can do before the placement begins so that you don’t have to stress on your first day. When you are calm and happy on the first day, it will give out a good first impression to everyone else.

 Spend time with staff from other professions …

Nurses never work alone! There are many different types of staff members that are involved in the care of your patients. This is your last chance to use to student card and take time to listen and observe what they are doing. Listen to how doctors communicate with patients. Observe what PT, OT, Speech therapy, Social workers etc. do when they come to meet your patients.

Ask them to explain their involvement in that patients care and I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to walk you through everything. Once you are working by yourself as an RN, you need to collaborate with many different staff members each day so it’s always a good idea to have at least a basic awareness of what they are doing for your patient’s recovery.

 Be willing to experience a variety of shifts …

Shift work can be difficult to get used to as students. If you have preceptors, try to work alongside their shift patterns as much as you can. This could mean that you will have to work a variety of shifts from AMs, PMs, nights, weekends, weekdays or even public holidays. Everyone hates a late-early and no one likes to have as many as 5-6 shifts consecutively.

But, it’s part and parcel of the job and as final semester students, you better get used to it as early as possible. Also, don’t shy away from doing night shifts. Remember, this is your last chance at being a student, under the constant guidance of another nurse. If you never experience night shifts as a student, you might end up doing your first night as a grad nurse, all by yourself. Experiencing the actual shift patterns of nurses will also help you create a personalized work routine as well.

Don’t stop asking questions … even if you think it’s a stupid one!

I was really lucky to have two absolutely amazing and endlessly patient preceptors in my final placement. Therefore, I was not afraid to ask questions. When in doubt, always ask, even if it feels like a stupid question. You are dealing with the lives of your patients and making an error can have dire consequences. If you can, use google to do a quick search of things you don’t understand and then have a chat with a fellow nurse if you need more explanations. There is so much to learn in healthcare! The day a nurse starts thinking that they know everything is when they stop being a safe and competent nurse.

Enjoy being a student one last time …

Don’t stress yourself too much! Make sure to take care of your mental and physical health. Hang out with fellow students. Debrief. Gift yourself that coffee and doughnut. Remember, you are almost done! The finish line is so close. YOU CAN DO IT…!!!

My name is Chulani Kaluarachchi. I completed my Master of Nursing Practice at Monash University and is now working as a Registered Nurse at Monash Health.

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