I had a rather interesting dream the other night. I was out in York with my other half. Having been around most of the shops, and helping her choose a birthday present for her mum, we decided to head home. Good job I was sleeping, this is the average blokes idea of hell (however, it was time with her so it was all good).
I find myself at the train station. The train is late "Tree on the line at Huddersfield". Great, but hey, I only have to wait over half an hour. Lets find the platform. Oh great, its full. Hang on, turns out there is a service to Newcastle about to arrive before my train. Ahh, so this is not too much of a nightmare.
After a few moments, the train arrives and my mobile phone decides to go off. As I am trying to talk, the sound of the train leaving is drowning out the caller. I am dreaming this is along the lines of "Hi, it (whuur whuur whuur) from (huuummm) hospital (lound blast of train horn) interviewed really well (clack clack clack clack) on the ward?"
Now, its just a dream and undoubtedly this is just me getting the big fob off. Oh well, I can see in my dream there is a flight of steps up to a closed walkway where I can talk. After all, this was a hospital where a) I never worked and b) had my first interview on the 7th who phoned me on my birthday (last tuesday) to ask to give me people to phone as referances were slow comming through. Ok, I decided in my dream I wanted to fully explore the horror of this nightmare of being fobbed off. Much in the same way one may fully probe the site of a rotting tooth. I ascend the steps.
"Do go ahead" I say.
"Well, as you have experance of being a student within Diabetes and Endocrinology, we are offering you a job as a Staff Nurse on the diabetic and endocrinology ward in the hospital"
Bloody hell, this is great, lets keep dreaming.
"Yes, of course!"
"Right, well, it will be monday now before I can send the acceptance forms out, and it will be 6 to 8 weeks by the time your CRB check comes back and you can start on the ward".
"Thats no problem, thanks!"
"No problem, thanks for accepting!"
Ok, deep breath. Lets just see how long it takes for me to wake up and come back to reality.
Pretty much walking back down the stairs to find my other half looking at me and saying to her "I got the job" seemed to be a good point to stop dreaming and wake up. Which given that we both had to wait till near 5:20 for that sodding train which was 52 minutes late in the freezing cold and rain made sure there was no doubt about it.
So, 3 years training:Check
NMC Pin Number: Check
Job: Check
What makes this all the more delicious is that while I was turned down by 2 posts, one was going to re-interview me, the job I get was from my first interview.
So, I have moved. You will find me posting on the new blog. Just click HERE to visit!
See you on the new blog!
Sunday, 2 March 2008
Monday, 18 February 2008
While my step dad was implicated in the news with this incident.
It was very unfortunate my sisters boyfriend and soon to be fiancie is the soldier talked about here. NB He is not the injured one. Though on the news it is very clinical and cold, I happen to be in the middle of this one.
I always hated the policy of new labour. Messing about with the health service was affecting me enough. Now, its personal.
I wonder if I did not pray enough at some point.
It was very unfortunate my sisters boyfriend and soon to be fiancie is the soldier talked about here. NB He is not the injured one. Though on the news it is very clinical and cold, I happen to be in the middle of this one.
I always hated the policy of new labour. Messing about with the health service was affecting me enough. Now, its personal.
I wonder if I did not pray enough at some point.
Thursday, 14 February 2008
An update
"I find it odd how I have interviews for everywhere but for the hospital I trained". Nursing student, "interview" 13/02/2008
Ahem. Ok, that statement came back to bite me on the ass. I have an interview on the 25th. I believe this could also be on the ward where I was for placement 5. By that I mean the ward I moved on the 22nd September. This should make the interview interesting:
Interview Chair: "So, do you know anything of the ward?"
Nursing Student: "Aye, I worked here did'nt I"
Interview Chair: "Do you know what patients we look after on here?"
Nursing Student: "Aye, looked after half the buggers meself on here lad"
Anyway, I am acutly aware of it being valentines day, so a happy valentines day to you all.
Ahem. Ok, that statement came back to bite me on the ass. I have an interview on the 25th. I believe this could also be on the ward where I was for placement 5. By that I mean the ward I moved on the 22nd September. This should make the interview interesting:
Interview Chair: "So, do you know anything of the ward?"
Nursing Student: "Aye, I worked here did'nt I"
Interview Chair: "Do you know what patients we look after on here?"
Nursing Student: "Aye, looked after half the buggers meself on here lad"
Anyway, I am acutly aware of it being valentines day, so a happy valentines day to you all.
Wednesday, 13 February 2008
Interview
Today I had the first feedback from an interview. I was interviewed yesterday for a staff nurse in a community hospital in a PCT. The interview went well. I was phoned by the clinical leader today. They said that I had interviewed excellent. I was the joint choice for the post. However, the post has gone to somebody with more post registration experience then me. I know that there is a possibility they were just saying that. However, I have been told that not all is lost. You see, there has been a nurse put their resignation in on the ward. I was told that there will be interviews held again. As less then 3 months have passed the post is not going to be advertised. I may have a chance at this second interview though this is hard to say. I have applied for some more jobs which have become available today.
I am still awaiting the news of the interview which I had last Thursday at another acute hospital. I am not sure how that will work out. The original post advertised was for the MAU. However, there were posts going on the respiratory ward, Haematology ward, Endocrinology and gastric ward. I find it odd how I have interviews for everywhere but for the hospital I trained. Oh well.
I am still awaiting the news of the interview which I had last Thursday at another acute hospital. I am not sure how that will work out. The original post advertised was for the MAU. However, there were posts going on the respiratory ward, Haematology ward, Endocrinology and gastric ward. I find it odd how I have interviews for everywhere but for the hospital I trained. Oh well.
Friday, 8 February 2008
And finally...
I have finshied the university!
I now need to:
a) Wait for my PIN number/NMC registration.
B) Get a job.
I now need to:
a) Wait for my PIN number/NMC registration.
B) Get a job.
Of for goodness sake!
I was feeling quite nostagic this morning. I am posting twice today. The first post is the worst one of the two. I happen to be quite a fan of the Dr Rant team. I am sure this morning they may have been interested to know of one of the lectures were on. Service improvement. Stop laughing you at the back.
Now, I am all for the NHS actually getting better. I freverently belive that the key to achieving this is a genuine team effort of all the staff concerned. I too think that, albeit in a reduced role to professionals, that patients individually can shape the care of the NHS services. I say reduced because an idividual can only provide their own perspective. They will be able to give unique insight into an experance which is theirs, and theirs alone. One mans meat is anothers potato (to use the Colloquialism). That a person may dislike the NHS is to negate that some people may "like" the NHS. Additionally, the phallacy of association certianly will not mean that the NHS is not fit for the treating of patients.
It was with a certian amount of politcal unspeak that we were introduced to the concept of NHS service improvement. To say that this was riddled with the influence of the current admisitration is to be an understatement. I have always considered that a fundamental right of the free nations of the world is the freedom to make a choice of what they do. The freedom of speech is a right that we should not take for grated, even if we are allowing ourselfs to be policitcally lead. To cite a quote attributed to Voltaire "Why I May Not Agree With What You Say, I'll Defend To The Death Your Right To Say It".
One of the main thigns was that there was the mention made of the connecting for health scheme. Yup. thats right. The part of the NHShIT project which is currently costing as much 30% of the GDP of Peru. I dont mind that. It was the patronising tone the DoH adopt "Enablers". Oh come on. The patients are at least the last people of the NHS population to ever a) get a say b) Actually notice c) give a toss. Given that the NHShIT project has double the amount of money being spent then the combined disposable income of Germany, this really is not acceptable.
Also, the use of processes, and "systems thinking". Well, the sort of thinking that has resulted in a computer system which is costing 4 times the economic growth of China from 2001-2008. Also, the fact that the average suggestion box to a health minister seems to be a waste paper basket, how do any of us stand a chance. I recall when there were a few nurses who "suggested" they not have a 0.009% increse which was resisted while the NHShIT computer system cost more money then was taken through taxation, funding and minted during the Ottoman empire.
Or when 12000 doctors "suggested" that the "improvement" of 10000 less doctors was not a good idea. I guess the government were more concerned with shoveling more money into the NHShIT system which the Office of National Statistics have noted as having taken 14 times more money then the economies of the combined westernised nation 1898-2004, adjsted for the mean poverty level of pre-tax profits.
Now, I am all for the NHS actually getting better. I freverently belive that the key to achieving this is a genuine team effort of all the staff concerned. I too think that, albeit in a reduced role to professionals, that patients individually can shape the care of the NHS services. I say reduced because an idividual can only provide their own perspective. They will be able to give unique insight into an experance which is theirs, and theirs alone. One mans meat is anothers potato (to use the Colloquialism). That a person may dislike the NHS is to negate that some people may "like" the NHS. Additionally, the phallacy of association certianly will not mean that the NHS is not fit for the treating of patients.
It was with a certian amount of politcal unspeak that we were introduced to the concept of NHS service improvement. To say that this was riddled with the influence of the current admisitration is to be an understatement. I have always considered that a fundamental right of the free nations of the world is the freedom to make a choice of what they do. The freedom of speech is a right that we should not take for grated, even if we are allowing ourselfs to be policitcally lead. To cite a quote attributed to Voltaire "Why I May Not Agree With What You Say, I'll Defend To The Death Your Right To Say It".
One of the main thigns was that there was the mention made of the connecting for health scheme. Yup. thats right. The part of the NHShIT project which is currently costing as much 30% of the GDP of Peru. I dont mind that. It was the patronising tone the DoH adopt "Enablers". Oh come on. The patients are at least the last people of the NHS population to ever a) get a say b) Actually notice c) give a toss. Given that the NHShIT project has double the amount of money being spent then the combined disposable income of Germany, this really is not acceptable.
Also, the use of processes, and "systems thinking". Well, the sort of thinking that has resulted in a computer system which is costing 4 times the economic growth of China from 2001-2008. Also, the fact that the average suggestion box to a health minister seems to be a waste paper basket, how do any of us stand a chance. I recall when there were a few nurses who "suggested" they not have a 0.009% increse which was resisted while the NHShIT computer system cost more money then was taken through taxation, funding and minted during the Ottoman empire.
Or when 12000 doctors "suggested" that the "improvement" of 10000 less doctors was not a good idea. I guess the government were more concerned with shoveling more money into the NHShIT system which the Office of National Statistics have noted as having taken 14 times more money then the economies of the combined westernised nation 1898-2004, adjsted for the mean poverty level of pre-tax profits.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
What went wrong...I'm not grumpy!
Now, I know that normally all the blogs are full of the woes and moans of the NHS and the fact that it is in meltdown. But today, I want to buck the trend of that if only for one post. You see, I actually LIKE what I do. So, let us think for one moment what drives us to do what we do, apply a bit of starch to the tunic and really take a positve look at what we do. It is rich for me to say that. There again though, I can. I know I have posted some negtive posts. I am aware that there are problems with the finances of the NHS. The thing is though, we all go through that. I can point to the times when I worked in management to days that were terrible.
However, let us think about the positve impact on peoples lifes that Nurses have on people. I am forever trying the think of analagies for situations. One of the ones that I came up with years ago for treatment was to take a pragmatic look at a situation. Say Patient X is admitted to hospital with an exaccerbation of COPD and is not responding well to a treatment of Bronchodilators and 4 liters of oxygen and the doctors have asked the nurse to start therapy of...lets say steroids. Right, now that fact of the patient being in the UK will mean that this seems to be a great horror. It is. Let us imagine for a moment that Patient X was in the middle of the Kalahari desert and miles away from a District General Hospital. You can appreciate there would be no GP to take a house visit, an ambulance to transport to the hospital, no HCA to show the patient to bed, not staff nurse to assess/admisiter medication and attend to, no HO/SHO (FY1-2/ST1-2) doctors to clerk and no consutant for them to be under. Imagine how long the patent would last in that example. Yes, know that the probabilty of the person having a supply of tobacco to get emphysema in the desert is also remotly small but lets try and keep the magic going!
That is the whole reason I wanted to become a nurse. I have been a patient for many years having being born with a condition which fused my fingers and toes. That is why I will willingly give up a saturday or Tuesday night to go on duty (and watch premiership and Leage 2 matches for free) and attend St John Ambulance divisional meetings on Thursdays. It is why I will walk into my bay when I am free and talk to my patient. It is why I take the time to sit next to patients and fill in their risk assessments/write communication sheets with them so that they know what I am writing, and can sometimes give me a better idea. It is why I go the extra mile for the people who I care for on duty. That is why when visiting time comes I leave the visitors to the patient but inform both patient and vistors that I will be walking around to check. It is whay I never think myself an island. It is why I like the company of others. It is why I will ask a busy nurse or HCA if they need a hand. I also think that in trying hard I should help other MDT team members. Which is why doctors will find files presented drug cardex open, why frames and sticks are left out for reach of physiotherapists and why doors are opened for porters and ambulance crews, and why lunches are given out by yours truly. I like what I do. I want to do what I do, and do it well.
That is why I hope that interviews will yield something.
That is why I wrote this blog. Sometimes all you need is a muse.
However, let us think about the positve impact on peoples lifes that Nurses have on people. I am forever trying the think of analagies for situations. One of the ones that I came up with years ago for treatment was to take a pragmatic look at a situation. Say Patient X is admitted to hospital with an exaccerbation of COPD and is not responding well to a treatment of Bronchodilators and 4 liters of oxygen and the doctors have asked the nurse to start therapy of...lets say steroids. Right, now that fact of the patient being in the UK will mean that this seems to be a great horror. It is. Let us imagine for a moment that Patient X was in the middle of the Kalahari desert and miles away from a District General Hospital. You can appreciate there would be no GP to take a house visit, an ambulance to transport to the hospital, no HCA to show the patient to bed, not staff nurse to assess/admisiter medication and attend to, no HO/SHO (FY1-2/ST1-2) doctors to clerk and no consutant for them to be under. Imagine how long the patent would last in that example. Yes, know that the probabilty of the person having a supply of tobacco to get emphysema in the desert is also remotly small but lets try and keep the magic going!
That is the whole reason I wanted to become a nurse. I have been a patient for many years having being born with a condition which fused my fingers and toes. That is why I will willingly give up a saturday or Tuesday night to go on duty (and watch premiership and Leage 2 matches for free) and attend St John Ambulance divisional meetings on Thursdays. It is why I will walk into my bay when I am free and talk to my patient. It is why I take the time to sit next to patients and fill in their risk assessments/write communication sheets with them so that they know what I am writing, and can sometimes give me a better idea. It is why I go the extra mile for the people who I care for on duty. That is why when visiting time comes I leave the visitors to the patient but inform both patient and vistors that I will be walking around to check. It is whay I never think myself an island. It is why I like the company of others. It is why I will ask a busy nurse or HCA if they need a hand. I also think that in trying hard I should help other MDT team members. Which is why doctors will find files presented drug cardex open, why frames and sticks are left out for reach of physiotherapists and why doors are opened for porters and ambulance crews, and why lunches are given out by yours truly. I like what I do. I want to do what I do, and do it well.
That is why I hope that interviews will yield something.
That is why I wrote this blog. Sometimes all you need is a muse.
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