City University 2014/15

Heyy, I know it's late but I firmed my place at City for Child nursing

Well done! I'm nearly at the end of my first year of child nursing at City if you have any questions! xx

Thank you
I have so many questions to ask !

1. How many exams are done in the first year ?
2. How many placements are done in the first year ?
3. What are the pros and cons of your first year ?
4. How many weeks off do you get in your first year ?
5. Did you go to fresher's week ?
6. What type of placements are done ? Wards, community or a mixture ?
7. Have you thought about whether you'd like to specilaise in a particular area of children's nursing ?
8. What advice would you give about the first year of the course ??
9. Was it easy for you to make friends ?

I'm really sorry for the long list of questions

Hey! That's no problem, I had loads of questions too before I started so i'll try to answer them as best as I can!

1. You do 4 assignments, 2 written exams and a practical exam in first year.
2. You do 2 placements, both in May. 6 weeks ward and 6 weeks community (half of the cohort does one first, then you swap) so I've done my community one, i'm currently on the ward.
3. I've loved every second of first year! It is a difficult course and the lecturers like to challenge you, but they're all really good! Your group becomes like family so you don't feel like you're on your own and you're always there to support each other as you're all going through the same thing. In year one, you share modules with mental health and adult so it's a general nursing to begin with. You do simulated practice which is more child focused, but you don't purely start to focus on children until year 2 (which is nice really as you get to know adult and mental health too and get a more general overview)
4. To be honest, I couldn't tell you exactly. But roughly, we got a reading week in november, about 3 weeks off over christmas, 2 weeks at easter, about 10 days revision time after easter (As exams were all in the same week) then we're on placement for 12 weeks then get about 5 weeks off for summer. So not a massive amount, but the blocks of time off are around exams so it's not really time off summer is the only real time i think!
5. I did go to Freshers week! I would recommend going to the Freshers fair as that's really good and you get lots of freebies! Nursing freshers is slightly different as they give you a timetabled 2 weeks before you properly start for things like an overview of the course, fire and safety, uniforms, meeting your lecturers ect! It was very good and really informative
6. In first year you do one community placement (either nursery/health visiting) and you do one ward placement.
7. To be honest, I'm keeping my options open at the moment! But I was lucky enough to be put on an assessment unit for my hospital placement so I'm enjoying the massive variety of patients we get!
8. I would just say to enjoy yourself and to make the most of it! It's such an amazing course and I still feel lucky to be doing it. The lecturers we have a really good and they really push you! I would say start your assignments early and be really strict with your revision around exam time (especially with biology as that's an exam with a lot to learn but the exam itself wasn't that bad!). I would also say do work before your sessions as our lecturers are very big on that and get annoyed if you don't... so because your timetable is set and you always know what's going to happen on that session, just do a bit of background work!
9. It's SO easy to make friends! You'll be put in a group at the start of first year of about 20 of you which you'll stay in for the whole 3 years. We have big lectures with everyone but you have smaller tutorials for things like sim prac and some module lectures. So you spend a lot of time together and you become like a little family! Our group had a whats app chat from about week 2 and we're in constant contact which is nice because we all support each other and know what people are going through, so someone is always on hand to offer out advice to calm everyone down!

I hope this answered some of your questions? Let me know if you have any more Are you waiting on a-level results or anything? xxx

Thank you for your detailed responses, they were very informative ! I really appreciate it

1. Sounds like a lot of work and exams in the first year.
2. Only two placements are done in the first year, sounds reasonable considering the workload which will be done. Are assignments done before, after or during your placements ?
3. As modules are shared with the other branches of nursing, does that mean you all share lectures ?
4. That's more time off than I anticipated really considering how demanding the course is.
5. You get freebies at Freshers week ?! I'll defo being going then lol. So Nursing freshers is different/separate from normal freshers ?
6. I've done some voluntary work at nurserys and work experience on a children's ward before so I'll be looking forward to those placements
7. I kind of have an idea on what i'd like to specialise on but I'll probably keep changing as I go through the course.
8. Oh I love biology, it's so interesting. I do like to start my revision as early as possible so i can familarise myself with things. I'll remember to do some background research. When you are given a timetable, how many days do you go to uni for lectures and what is a timetabled day like ? 9-5 ?
9. That's great to hear...oh I can't wait to start

I have a few more questions

What type of shoes would be ideal to wear on placements ?
Do you like live at home or on campus ?
What's the social life like at the uni ?
What was your first day like on the course ?
Did you do a-levels or BTEC ?

Yes, I am waiting for my a-level results as I finished my last exam last Wednesday. I'm just hoping for the best.

No problem I was really worried before I started so I just wanted to put your mind at rest really because the course is amazing!

1. It is a lot of work but it's not too bad! They're all usually due in on the same week which is difficult, but if you're organised it's okay.
2. Assignments and exams are done before you start placement in first year. You do one set of exams in January then the second in April. Then you go out on placement from May to the end of July.
3. You share some lectures with adult and mental health. We all do the same modules in first year, so you have lead lectures with them for about three times a week. Then you have smaller lecturers in your individual child groups. The only module that is separate is simulated practice as this is only done in your smaller tutorial groups
4. Yeah it's quite nice, but it's always around exam time so it's not much fun lol!
5. It's not completely different to normal freshers week. It's just that the school of health sciences (nursing/midwifery/salt ect) has an introduction 2 weeks so you start slightly earlier than other courses.
6. Aww yeah that's really good! I worked on a children's ward for a year as a HCA before starting so that really helped me too. I'm on placement at the moment and love it, it's amazing.
7. Yeah you get a wide range of placements so it's best to keep your mind open. I get asked on a daily basis about specialising but i'm just not sure yet!
8. Urm, I think the timetables change yearly so I'm not sure what yours will be like next year! We were mostly in 4 days a week but they weren't complete days in the first term. In the second term, we were in mostly full days. But it's timetable dependent so I'm not really sure! It also depends on your smaller tutorial group as these bulk out your timetable too... and simulated practice takes up a lot of time.

1. You need to wear black, leather lace ups on placement. Well, university says they have to be lace-up so I would get those just to save you being shouted at lol! As a lot of us had slip on's and our sim prac lead wouldn't let some people in until they had the correct shoes!
2. I live in student accommodation but not on campus. It was very expensive (14 intake) but for September 2015 they've reduced the price dramatically! Will you live at home or in halls?
3. I hear very mixed things about the social life at City. I'm not really a going out person (Boring i know lol!) but when we do go out, we go around islington as there's loads of good bars and clubs around.
4. My first day was really good We had our introductory two weeks and it's basically loads of lectures about what to expect from the course and what it will involve. First year goes so quickly!
5. I did a-levels.

Oh good luck! you'll be fine What a-levels did you do? xxx

1. On the same week. Wow...yes organisation makes everything easier
2. That's great. So I won't have to worry about handing in assignments or doing exams during placements.
3. Three lectures a week as a big group sounds reasonable. Are the lectures long ? Do you suggest a notebook and a pen is enough for taking down notes ? Simulated practice sounds fun. It's done of those human like dummies right ?
4. So most of the time will be around exams and assignments. So not fun lol
5. So the course starts earlier than other courses Do you mean as early as September 1st ?
6. Sounds like you had a lot of prior experience. Have you considered doing bank shifts as part time work since you've got some experience being a HCA ?
7. Ok, I'll keep an open mind
8. Oh ok, so first term isn't full days but second term and onwards are full days. So it depends on my timetable.

1.So they must be leather lace ups then. Looks like I'll be buying Kickers or Doc Martens.
2. I'll be living at home coz it only takes me around 35-40 mins to get the the university. I've considered staying in student accommodation but even off campus, it's quite expensive.
3. I don't really go out either tbh lol but going around islington sounds good
4. That's good to hear. The introductory two weeks, are there lectures everyday ? Did you find it informative ?

Thank you. I hope so
I did Biology, Chemistry & Psychology. I did Maths at AS. xx

The lectures aren't too bad - usually about an hour long! They do provide lecture slides on noodle (I would always print these off and take these) and you can just make notes at the side of the slides as it's just a lot easier! Yes we do use dummies in simulated practice. However, we mostly practice on each other which is fun lol! You have 3 days (i believe but it might change next year) where you do sim prac 9-5 and you basically practice skills on each other all day and do things like admissions, pre and post op checks ect.

We started on 15th September this year if I remember rightly (it seems so long ago now!!) and other courses started a week or so after I think.

For placement shoes, most of us got ours from clarks. Not the most fashionable, but you'll be so glad of them after 12.5 hour days!! Everything except my feet hurt after placement, so good shoes are a must!

Oh that's good at least you can live at home! A lot of girls from my course live at home too so you won't be the only one I'm sure. I'd still live at home if I could, it's so expensive living in halls.

Yeah the introductory 2 weeks was good. They do take attendance as well so it's compulsory. There's also stuff like a fire and safety lecture which seems pointless. But you have this signed off in a document called your 'nursing passport' which they'll give you and you can't go out on placement without completing this. It's fire and safety, basic life support and moving and handling. The BLS and moving and handling are done in separate sessions later in first year

Are you coming to the open day on 1st July? xxx

An hour sounds good to me and i'd probably print out slides coz it's easier. Haha practicing on each other sounds really fun as well as practicing on dummies.

Wow, 12.5 hour days. Yes I'll be definitely getting comfortable shoes. I'll try shoes from Clarks.

I thought that most nursing students would live in student accommodation. I checked out prices for 2015/2016 and wow it's expensive.

Oh it's compulsory ! Sounds really important though, the 'nursing passport'.

I won't be coming to the open day. I know my way around the uni coz I went to a week long taster course for nursing last year at the uni xxx

Yeah practising on eachother is fun! It's not realistic (we all laugh too much lol!) but it's a good way to get into the routine. It's completely different on the ward... it just comes naturally (well it felt like it to me!!)

Honestly, the shifts aren't that bad! After your first one or two... you sort of get used to it! I'd just advise you drink lots!

The nursing passport just holds all your mandatory traning stuff and it stays with you for the whole 3 years so it's important to keep They'll tell you all about it on the introduction sessions though! And this is where you'll be given it.

Oh that's cool! What was the taster days like? I'm being a student ambassafor for this years taster day! xxx

hey, i was wondering as to if city will accept my current subjects that i take in sixth form which is applied science and a level sociology and also do you have to pass an entry exam before you get accepted in city

Heyy, I know it's late but I firmed my place at City for Child nursing

The lectures aren't too bad - usually about an hour long! They do provide lecture slides on noodle (I would always print these off and take these) and you can just make notes at the side of the slides as it's just a lot easier! Yes we do use dummies in simulated practice. However, we mostly practice on each other which is fun lol! You have 3 days (i believe but it might change next year) where you do sim prac 9-5 and you basically practice skills on each other all day and do things like admissions, pre and post op checks ect.

We started on 15th September this year if I remember rightly (it seems so long ago now!!) and other courses started a week or so after I think.

For placement shoes, most of us got ours from clarks. Not the most fashionable, but you'll be so glad of them after 12.5 hour days!! Everything except my feet hurt after placement, so good shoes are a must!

Oh that's good at least you can live at home! A lot of girls from my course live at home too so you won't be the only one I'm sure. I'd still live at home if I could, it's so expensive living in halls.

Yeah the introductory 2 weeks was good. They do take attendance as well so it's compulsory. There's also stuff like a fire and safety lecture which seems pointless. But you have this signed off in a document called your 'nursing passport' which they'll give you and you can't go out on placement without completing this. It's fire and safety, basic life support and moving and handling. The BLS and moving and handling are done in separate sessions later in first year

Are you coming to the open day on 1st July? xxx