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Meet Jen – BN, RN, MACN (sincerelynursejen on instagram 30.8k+ followers!) – who is a 2021 Graduate Registered Nurse on her first rotation in Cardiology after completing a Bachelor of Nursing. She gives you a run down of how to ace your nursing studies and gives some great insights!
Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to pursue a Bachelor of Nursing?
My name is Jen. I’m a Monash University graduate from Melbourne, Australia, and I’m now a 2021 Graduate Registered Nurse. When I was younger, I got to do some shadowing at a hospital where my godfather works as a surgeon. I observed the clinic and ward nurses and became interested in their roles and contributions to healthcare. Out of all health disciplines, nursing stood out to me as the most holistic and compassionate profession. Nursing is a mix of everything. It’s one of the things I love about this healthcare field. It’s great that it doesn’t just consist of one aspect of health.
There’s parts of pharmacy, dietetics, medicine, physiotherapy, social work etc. in it. In this way, nurses can provide holistic, patient-centred care for their patients. Nurses don’t just look after the physical health of their patients – they care for their psychosocial health too. This profession emphasises the importance of treating the patient as a whole, not just their disease because the patient’s environment affects their health too.
For those unfamiliar, what does someone in your field do?
Based on what I’ve experienced during my clinical placements, nurses are excellent advocates and communicators. They are health professionals who work with medical practitioners, pharmacists and allied health professionals to provide treatment and care for patients. These clinicians utilise their nursing knowledge to problem solve, think critically and make clinical decisions for their patients. It’s a very hands-on profession that involves doing a lot of clinical skills. Some of these include medication administration, physical assessments, IV cannulation, catheterisation. They engage in health promotion and provide patient education on a range of things i.e. diet and nutritional intake, medications.
Nurses are researchers, educators, and innovators. They lead and manage healthcare teams, and teach other health professionals too. Nursing is so modern now that there are advanced practice nurses who diagnose and prescribe medications. I’m learning more and more about my profession as I progress in my journey in healthcare, and I’m excited to be part of the change.
What have been some classes you have taken at university and what ones have been your favourite and why?
We studied a lot of anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. Within these, we also learn about the nursing, medical and pharmacological management of each health condition/disease as well. We studied other units too, for example:
- Global and public health
- Communication
- Law and ethics
- Mental health nursing
- Health promotion
- Wound and pain management
And many more! My favourite units are the ones that involve anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology or pharmacology. I’m drawn to this part of nursing because I love learning about the human body!
What are the structures of your classes?
We had lectures, workshops, tutorials, practical classes, and clinical/lab classes. Each of these classes would go for a few hours. Our lectures cover everything about the topic. We consolidate our knowledge by asking questions and holding discussions during our tutorials and workshops. In the first year, we had practical classes for anatomy where we dissected organs and used models to aid our learning. As for clinical/lab classes, we learn and practise our clinical and nursing skills eg. communication, physical assessments, venepunctures, medication administration, catheterisation etc.
What is a typical week like in the Bachelor of Nursing?
Each semester was different for eg. in the first year, I had 4 days of university in Semester 1, and then 3 days in semester 2. There would be a few lectures a day, followed by a few days of workshops, tutorials and practical classes, and then a clinical/lab class. During the semester, we would also complete a few weeks of clinical placements, which could happen before or after our exams.
Where have you had some of your placements, which were your favourites and why?
I did my clinical placements with health services like Eastern Health and Monash Health. I’ve done Rehabilitation, Surgical (Thoracics & Urology), Mental Health, Nephrology & Gastroenterology, Colorectal Surgery, and Theatre Nursing. My favourite clinical placement is either Surgical, Colorectal Surgery or Theatre Nursing. I’m interested in cardiothoracics because the physiology of both the heart and lungs is fascinating to me. I enjoyed my Colorectal Surgery placement because I learnt the most during that rotation, and I got to see a variety of patients. I practised many clinical skills, and I faced a lot of challenges that pushed me out of my comfort zone.
I learned to work under pressure, manage my time and treat high acuity patients who were very ill. As for Theatre Nursing, it was a very different area of nursing. I enjoyed my time in the operating theatres as I observed many surgeries, and I also got to scrub-in for a few! The environment in that ward was very positive and collaborative in general. Every team member was respected and treated equally, and it was a healthy learning environment. I learned heaps during the most challenging times, and those challenges helped me improve and grow.
What are some interesting experiences you have had that really stuck with you, and why?
I was exposed to a wide range of health conditions during my clinical placements. Some of these included hepatic encephalopathy (damage to the brain caused by the liver because it is unable to remove toxins from the bloodstream), Chronic Kidney Disease, Bowel Obstructions, Pneumothoraxes, Heart Failures, different types of cancers etc. During one of my placements, I looked after a patient who had hepatic encephalopathy with a few other co-morbidities.
This patient stuck with me because she was very positive, optimistic and resilient. I was able to make a positive impact by providing her with compassionate care. I was able to cheer her up and make her smile when she was at her most vulnerable too, which was really heartwarming to see. During my last placement, the paediatric patients I looked after were very resilient and positive – they really stuck with me too!
What do you wish you knew before you started studying a Bachelor of Nursing?
I wish I knew how mentally and emotionally exhausting nursing can be and how important self-care is. I’m not very good with it as I’m a full-blown perfectionist! I’m really hard on myself in general, I’m always pushing myself to do better, and if I don’t achieve the standards I set for myself, I tend to beat myself up a lot mentally. As a result, I burn out easily. I’m still exploring different ways to manage this.
What tips do you have for fellow/future students struggling with assignments?
My number one tip: don’t leave them to the last minute! It just gets way too stressful and overwhelming. Break them down into little chunks and sections and tackle them bit by bit. If you need to, use a planner/digital calendar and note down their due dates. Assignments can be useful and applicable too, and you learn a lot from them as well! I had to do an assignment on Quality Improvement in Healthcare. I learned about a variety of leadership styles and skills, and how to implement and lead change to improve healthcare.
What are some mistakes you or others may have made that you suggest others avoid during studies?
Don’t cram for your exams. I always start studying for about 2 months before my exams. It gives me enough time to learn and revise topics in detail as our exams are quite packed with content! This quote “You’re not studying for your exams – you’re studying to save lives in the future” motivates me.
For clinical placements, always practise within your scope of practice. This is so important. As a student nurse, you’re not allowed to give medications by yourself. You need the Registered Nurse’s decision on whether the patient should take the medication or not anyway. When you administer those meds, you must be supervised by a Registered Nurse. Be cautious of where you are too. Some students go alone into medication rooms, and as a result, they were removed from their placements.
If you’re unsure about your scope of practice, ask your clinical nurse educator and your unit coordinator from your university. Be aware that the scopes of practice will differ for each year level too. When I was a First Year student, I wasn’t allowed to touch or give medications through PICC lines (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter lines). During my second and third year, I was allowed to. I was unsure about this at first so I asked my clinical nurse educator and unit coordinators. I also tripled checked with my friends too. It’s all about patient safety.
What would you say have been your main challenges during your studies/placements and why?
Some of the main challenges include time management and prioritisation during clinical placements. My preceptors said that it takes time to develop these skills. I always create and use shift planners to plan out nursing care for my patients. I also use a four-in-one coloured pen to help me prioritise tasks by writing urgent tasks in specific colours. However, every shift is different and unpredictable. It’s important to be agile and flexible when you’re responding to all the different changes that will happen during a shift. I’m still working on these myself!
Which area/s would you like to work in or specialise in and why?
I’m interested in Critical Care and cardiology/cardiothoracics. Another interest of mine is Perioperative nursing. These are challenging areas, and I think I’ll learn a lot in any of these fields. I’m really interested in the respiratory and cardiac systems. The relationship between these organs is very dynamic and fluid in how it keeps us alive, and how it allows us to function at an optimal level every day.
How do you financially support yourself during your studies?
Australian students get a loan from the government and we have to pay off our HECS debt once we start working. I also used to work a part-time job as a pharmacy assistant, and I saved up to buy textbooks and resources.
What advice would you give to future students thinking about studying a Bachelor of Nursing?
Work hard, keep pushing through those tough times, and persevere, persevere, persevere! It’s a challenging course; there’s no doubt about that. I did not see myself as a student who was naturally smart – it was diligence, dedication and passion that got me through. Nursing is not a job you do for money. It’s not for everyone. You must be passionate about it because if you don’t love what you do, it’ll be difficult to stay in the field. There’s a lot of science and medical content involved, and you have to be able to communicate, problem solve and think critically – you’ll continuously improve these skills as you progress of course.
I’ve also learnt that it takes a lot of courage and compassion to be a nurse and care for those who are very ill and vulnerable. You have to be non-judgemental, empathetic and open-minded. In my opinion, nursing changes you in a good way and teaches you to be a better person every day. I’m not the same person I was 3 years ago before I started my Bachelor’s degree.
What would make the Bachelor of Nursing better?
I think doing more clinical simulations during 3rd year would benefit us a lot. It would help to prepare us for our graduate years when we start working as new Registered Nurses. In Semester 2 2020, I participated in a simulation where I got put into a hospital-simulated room with another student. We had to pretend to be graduate nurses and look after 4 patients. It was really daunting and overwhelming even though it was just a simulation. It focused a lot on communication, teamwork, time management, prioritisation, critical thinking and clinical judgement. I learnt a lot from that simulation, and it gave us some exposure and insight into what the real world is like.
What’s next after your undergraduate studies/graduation?
During my final year of university, I applied for four different hospitals to join their 2021 Graduate Nurse Programs (GNP). The application and interview processes spanned over a few long and stressful months. For Australian students, we had to apply to a maximum of four hospitals through the PMCV (Postgraduate Medical Council of Victoria) Computer Match system.
We could also apply to more hospitals outside of PMCV if we wanted to. Most public hospitals will go through the PMCV system though. I got through in the end, and I managed to get my first hospital preference which is an amazing metropolitan hospital in Melbourne. There are 130 graduates in my GNP cohort.
Did you come across any challenges during the Graduate Nurse Program application/interview process?
The whole process was very challenging, tumultuous and competitive. There were a lot of amazing candidates out there as well. It was quite stressful and draining, emotionally and mentally. I doubted myself a lot and thought I wasn’t capable or good enough to get a graduate position. My past experiences influenced my mindset a little bit as well. During my 2nd year, I applied for the RUSON (Registered Undergraduate Student of Nursing) job.
I was shortlisted for an interview, however, I didn’t get the job. I managed to see it from a positive perspective though. I practised and worked on my interview skills, and I did really well during my graduate year interviews. The application and interview processes were very similar to the GNP application process, so I thought it’d have the same outcome again.
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