thernblogs

[thernblogs]

It's World Sleep Day

Log off.

Go back to bed.

[thernblogs]

Forgot about this blog

Laying in bed watching the Cecil Hotel documentary on Netflix (HIGHLY recommend watching) and remembered I started this blog. Not many readers, but my own little way to write down what’s on my mind.

Slight lie. I was actually looking at jobs I can do on the side of my full-time job. One website suggested writing in the side. Then the more I looked into freelance writing, it seems to earn proper money your given a set ‘task’ to write about. Then that leads to researching the topic etc. and it might not be anything of interest to me. At least this blog I can talk about whatever I want.

Think this will help with some of my anxieties as well, especially the ones that I and my colleagues have been feeling working through covid. Anyone else fell the same way?

#nhs #nurse #nursing #student #studentnurse #health & fitness #covid2019 #anxiety #writing

[thernblogs]

Holiday

Got back from Las Vegas the other day - by far the SICKEST holiday I’ve ever been on. It’s like America on crack, people drinking at 8am and dancing on the streets to no music...quality 👌

But seriously, America was brilliant. I can not wait to go back out there, the people are my sort of people.

They were friendly and approachable, and not once did I feel unsafe whilst out there. Not to mean I didn’t have my wits about me but even with all the drugs and stuff out there I didn’t feel threatened one bit

It’s made me want to see a lot more of America, just need to plan a few more destinations meaning picking up a few extra bank shifts!

#nursing #nurse #hospital #medicine #studyblr #placement #student #vacation #nhs #holiday #usa #america #las vegas

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I joined a ‘health club’

It’s pretty much a fancy term for a gym with a sauna and swimming pool. Little bit poncy and a bit of a flex costing me £50 a month (that’s with an NHS discount!), but I’m getting much better use out of it then my £20 a month gym I hadn’t used in 4 months.

Why here? Glad you asked. It’s near work, not too far from home and as I mentioned above - swimming pool!

I fucking love swimming. It takes me away somewhere and almost feels like being on holiday whilst and forgetting the horrid UK weather I’m dealing with every day of this long-ass winter.

I’ve also read up about the supposed benefits to swimming. Only physical health, but to mental health also. Fingers crossed for that one!

So far so good, and this isn’t a ‘new-year-new-me’ type thing I randomly decided to do - I’ve been thinking about joining this particular place since October. Was just weighing up the pro’s and con’s, and if I keep going the way I am so far I’ll definitely be getting my money’s worth out of the place

#nursing #university #nurse #nurblr #studentnurse #studyblr #registered nurse #rn #nhs #medicine #a&e #health #health & fitness

[thernblogs]

2020

New year is my favourite time/holiday/whatever you want to call it! I prefer it to Christmas, which is why I manage to wangle it off by working all over Christmas.

So what did I do? Got absolutely hammered and see the New Years in with my mates, pretty standard to everyone else really. But I ended up with a hangover and a cold as a memory of leaving 2019 in the past.

Last year was awful. And not just because of minor things, a lot of shit happened that needs to be left there. It’s made all of our friend group realise how much we need to be there for one another. No more losses this year.

This year I’ve told myself any opportunity that comes my way I’m going to seize. I’m bored of the routine life stuff, I need some change in my life.

Who knows what this year will bring? But I’m looking forward to finding out!

#student #medicine #studyblr #nursing #nurse #registered nurse #nhs

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It’s been a while!

So, I managed to get through my studies and officially became a registered nurse. Three hard years of studying behind me, and a stressful career to carry on with!

But the transition from student to RN isn’t the smoothest or easiest. Once you’ve got your uniform on, your the one responsible. You can’t use the ‘I’ll get the nurse’ card because you are the nurse now. Personally, I didn’t find it easy - but that’s not to say everyone will have the same experience.

I got a job in an A&E department at my local hospital, and it didn’t help that I didn’t train at that hospital. So getting used to the new systems and how stuff works there probably help me back a little bit. And even now after a few months in I still need to ask questions. But one thing that amazes me now is, certain questions I get asked by patients and colleagues, I can answer back without having to think about it - and that gives me confidence that I’m not completely lost with my knowledge!

One thing that has been really fucking helpful is the BNF app on my phone. Do not trust what is prescribed, countless times have I missed a drug error from checking everything correctly. At the end of the day, what I’m administering is on my pin and I don’t intend on losing it anytime soon.

The stresses and underfunding of the NHS has really hit home now that I’m doing it on my own. It really does have a massive impact on my everyday working, and also doesn’t make me feel safe in the working environment to be able to care for my patients the way I should. But we do our best, which is all anyone can do.

It’s not easy, and I’m sure this job is gonna age me like mad but it’s a job I enjoy getting up and heading out to door too...for now!

#nhs #nurse #nursing #hospital #a&e #student #studentnurse #health #studyblr

[thernblogs]

how did abortions get banned faster than assault rifles

[thernblogs]

MENTAL HEALTH

Possibly one of the hardest topic for people to talk about. Including myself

I'm not going to act like I understand mental health completely, as for me it's an umbrella term for a vast array of different conditions. However, the stigma that is still attached to it remains prominent.

And that's not ok.

It's not ok for someone to feel they have to hide or suppress their true feelings. And I'm talking on behalf of everyone.

The one thing that gets me - especially being a male - is the idea some people still have that men are the 'stronger' gender. That's bullshit.

Now, my family on my dads side are extremely close, both our relationships and the fact we live no further than 10 minutes away from each other. When my grandad died, that was the hardest period we have been through as a family, and we've had to deal with some shit in the past.

But the one thing I'll never forget is the worry my family had for my dad, who showed very little emotion. Being his only son I was the one to speak to him, in which his response was 'men don't cry', and that did it for me. The whole family, including his brother, were in absolute bits - and he didn't feel he could show his emotions. That to me is a prime example of this culture that still runs with some people to this day.

Men do cry. Women do cry also. It's a term thrown about but its still one of my favourites - it's ok not to be ok. And I wish the depth of this could be understood by more people.

I've finally come to terms with myself I have some sort of anxiety. I do get times my minds pondering those 'what if' moments of my life, how I could have done something differently. Luckily it's not something that causes me issues in my day-to-day life, although my nail biting it becoming a habit I need go nip in the bud! But accepting it has helped to overcome certain situations, and it gives me a form of relief. Like just writing this post gives me a form off relief, as I haven't had the need to discuss this with anyone else. But it's nice for me to share this, even if no-one reads this post.

I've also experienced loss due to suspected mental health issues, and that has been the worse thing to accept and deal with. It's not something I could comprehend, someone taking their life - but it's happened, and all I can hope for now is the awareness of these issues to be more prominent that my friends feel they are able to identify and look for help if and when its needed. Finding someone you can talk to, even another mate, one can hope this would achieve something.

I'm the oldest out of my friend group, alongside with my nursing background I do seem to have a lot of my mates confide and open up to me, even with minor things that might not necessarily mean much to me but may mean the world to them. And I wouldn't change that for the world.

For those that don't feel they have someone they can open up too, there are others out there such as charities that provide services and people for you to talk to.

Your never alone in the world, and theres always help out there.

#nhs #nurse #nursing #student #studentnurse #university #hospital #studyblr #mental health #help #friends #family #health #wellbeing

[thernblogs]

Sounds about right

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So, this came up on my Facebook. It's a tweet, but I've cropped the name out. But this exact comment has infuriated me slightly. I say slightly because there is some truth in this.

However, there is also the other truth that there is a lack mental health resources - which, in a way, has the potential to contribute to some of the issues above.

I don't wear rose tinted glasses and think everyone does the best job they can do. And for those in healthcare that just want to 'get by' and do the bare minimum, I don't think healthcare is the right profession.

This type of message highlights one issue, but pushes all the other issues of mental health away by condemning it to these particular reasons.

Now, I'm not a mental health nurse, and I'm not pretending to be an expert in the field. But I've had experiences as a student and as a healthcare assistant of people being let down due to lack of resources, and it's upsetting having to see someone in a crisis not get the help they need. I can honestly say that those in the mental health field I've worked with have done everything they can with what they've got, but sometimes it's not enough.

I'm sure others have had different experiences and I'm not saying what I'm saying is the same for everyone, but I do think the services need a bit more respect, and in an ideal world a lot more funding!

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😭🙌

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I feel like this photo should be shown to anyone who has had to "wait a while"for their FREE NHS treatment. I can understand people get frustrated, considering they do not know what is going on behind the closed doors of places like A&E, and the somewhat arrogance of shutting out how medical treatment is given in other countries. Even in countries lacking poverty that people have to pay for their medical treatment, be lucky we have our NHS. In the grand scheme of things I don't think it's going to harm a person to wait a bit longer for that x-ray or fof medications to come up from the pharmacy, but I feel like my hopeful message will not see the light with some who still continue to add to the pressure we are already facing.

#nhs #nurse #nursing #student #studentnurse #hospital #university #studyblr #poverty #child #parent #illness

[thernblogs]

we need carbs and we need fats and we need proteins and honestly fuck diet culture for normalizing malnourishment 

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Had a really boring lecture today, and everyone feels like our lecturer is trying to persuade us to buy his book? As it's "a popular book with students that will help with your assignment"... I don't know about you but sounds slightly unethical to me?

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OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination)

So I have my main exam in 4 days. Am I completely prepared? No. Am I absolutely cacking it? Not yet. Why not? Because I’m probably mentally drained from this course already. 

This exam isn’t the easiest one, as the majority of it is remembering guidelines and what to do in critical situations. But that’s the thing with nursing; it’s never one size fits all. There is ALWAYS a contraindication to something you do, and trust me...theres a lot of different ways to achieve the same goal!

I had a practice with a couple of people today, and it made me realise how unprepared I actually am! Which is both slightly stressful, but a blessing in disguise. I’ve been spending the rest of today going through stuff on my own, and it amazes me how much I already know just from the exposure I’ve had so far.

I also think a nurses knowledge is extremely underestimated, both by patients and some other healthcare professionals. Sometimes it seems unless you’re a senior nurse, or a nurse specialist, you’re seen to be this person that just carries out duties when told to. And it’s really not like that at all! Clinical assessment and decision making is a vital and extremely important part of a nurses job, and this is what my main exam is about - recognising a deteriorating patient and what to do.

As stressful as this exam is, I’m also enjoying it! Being able to focus on 4 pretty primary illnesses or conditions and researching about them is enjoyable (for me at least), knowing what to do and how to ultimately save someones life is one of the most daunting yet exciting parts of the job!

#nurse #nursing #studentnurse #student #university #NHS #studyblr #exam #examination #Hospital

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Night shift makes me wonder if people ever sleep?

Like….it’s 0300. Why are you asking me about the sacral dressing that you’ve had on for 12 hours NOW??? Why do you NEED lip balm at 0400???? It is midnight, the doctor is not going to be by soon??????? GO TO SLEEP??????????????

[thernblogs]

“For if we can’t learn to be kind to each other, how will we ever learn to be kind to the most desperate part of ourselves?”

—

Rupi Kaur 

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