When my friends ask me what it is like to be a student nurse in the UK, I always tell them that my routine is not the same every day. It sounds like a cliché, but that is all I have to say about my experience. Pursuing my higher studies in the nursing field has been one of the wisest yet demanding decisions of my life.
Since I have to manage early morning clinical shifts, exams, coursework, and personal commitments, each day in my routine requires determination and thoughtful planning. However, during this time, I have learned that success in my journey, whether as a nursing student or a certified nurse, is not only about my academic achievements. Instead, I can consider myself successful in my journey if I master adaptability and the perfect balance in the middle of my busy schedules.
If you are planning to become a nurse and want to be prepared, this blog can help you gain insights into how I, as a nursing student, actually spend my day while managing hectic clinical rotations and social life.
Starting My Day Even before the Sunrise
Since most of the placement days start much earlier than you can expect, I usually start my day around 5:30 AM to get prepared for the responsibilities waiting for me on the other side of the door. After grabbing my instant but healthy breakfast, I head to my placement location, which is either a hospital ward, a care home, or a community healthcare center.
My work usually begins by attending the handover, where I, along with other nurses, discuss any critical patient information from the previous shift, prepare care plans, and provide patient updates. During my lectures, I have learned that I have to listen to these discussions carefully, as these help me understand the needs of the patients I will have to support throughout my day.
Learning beyond the Classroom
One of the things that I love about nursing as a career is that it combines theory with real-world practice. Throughout my shifts, I assist with:
- Supporting the patients with personal care,
- Preparing the observation documentation,
- Communicating with patients and their families, and
- Monitoring the vital signs.
This is why I always say that every day is different for me as a nurse. Some days, I feel emotionally uplifted by seeing a patient recover, and it also helps me regain my confidence. Other days are more challenging when I have to care for individuals with serious health conditions, pain, and anxiety. But I have also enhanced my communication skills that are essential for nursing practice.
Managing the Pressure of Clinical Placements
During my nursing journey, I experienced stress due to the level of pressure since I work with the goal to perform well and provide the best possible care for each of my patients.
- To reduce this academic pressure, I figured out ways by reading various articles, and I learned that these were the common problems among other student nurses.
- Personally, I have found seeking support from my university mentors made a significant difference for me.
- These days, I have also been in contact with academic services that employ subject-specific experts when I am unable to handle the pressure. For instance, once I struggled with brainstorming and structuring for my essay, and then opted for nursing essay help in UK, which helped me write a high-scoring essay for my nursing course.
Looking After My Own Wellbeing
As a nursing student, I spend a lot of time caring for others, but I have already realized that prioritizing my care is equally important. Since long shifts can be physically and emotionally challenging, sometimes I take this type of pressure and stress home.
To manage stress, I try to:
- Priorities my sleep by ensuring that I follow my 6 to 7-hour sleep schedule.
- Eat healthy by following a strict diet.
- I also discovered the benefit of yoga as a nursing student from an article, ‘Effect of Yoga on Psychological Functioning of Nursing Students’ by the National Library of Medicine, and have added yoga to my daily routine since then.
My Weekends Are Not Always Free
To be honest, I sometimes don’t have the time to relax, even on the weekends. As my weekends aren’t always free, my social life was affected drastically. Depending on my placement schedule, I either have to manage clinical shifts, complete assignments, or prepare for my upcoming assessments.
I had a lot of issues while juggling these responsibilities, and my thesis project was approaching, which increased my anxiety. Since the thesis is among the larger research projects, I had already decided to seek guidance from proficient nursing thesis writers. With their expert assistance, I easily navigated through the complexities of my nursing course, and it also helped me develop skills that will benefit me throughout my nursing career.
Summarizing My Thoughts
If you are planning your career as a nurse in the UK, you should be prepared to tackle the hurdles that can make your experience both demanding and rewarding. As a student nurse, my days are usually hectic due to early-morning placements and academic deadlines.
But I have figured out how to maintain a healthy balance between my social life and other responsibilities. I have used academic support to complete my coursework even under tight deadlines and incorporated some habits that have helped me improve my social life as well.