What area of Nursing do you want to go into after qualifying?

I've found that all the placements I thought I'd like, Ive hated and vice versa!
Like I've hated my 2 surgical wards but loved care of the elderly!

My last placement was in a Diabetes Center with the diabetes nurse specialist and it was the most interesting placement I've had! I absolutely loved it and I learnt so much. It's something that I can apply to patients on any ward too! I never thought I'd be so enthusiastic about it but I've just gotten an essay question choice about the management of hypoglycaemia and I'm actually looking forward to doing it. I'm normally doing things the weekend before the due date! So, if you get the chance, ask to work with a diabetes nurse for a day or two! It's great!

Do you normally get given a placement you want - say if I do ask for it??
Also, What sort of things did you learn on the placement? and was it people of all ages ?

Like i said i suggested it in AAM MONTHS ago, and got pretty nicely told to go my own way..as no one comes in here

but why is that- cause its unorganised, disorientated and conflicting info! I'm glad studentnurse.org has its own current nursing students section anyway, and clinical issues- sooo much easier, but even on there on the wannabe nurses its people posting their offers left right and centre, and interviews...why they can't have stickys too i don't know!!

There should be an area for links too..things like clinicalskills.net, rcn, nmc, BJN, reflective models, portfolio tools, literature analysis frameworks, theories etc - thinks you use as a student nurse

Unless you have a very nice uni, or you're on managment/elective you don't get to choose. Diabetes nurse specialists can work in the hospital, community- as an adult nurse you'd be working with the elderly. They can be bleeped if someone is going hypo/hyper, admitted with DKA, being discharged with newly diagnosed diabetes, supporting current nurses with education- loads of things

tbh i think its better being a specialist diabetes nurse in the community

I know I've stopped really going on the wannabe one now because it's just so annoying - nearly every thread is 'i've got an offer!/interview etc..' even though i'm happy for them, it would be nice if that was one big thread/sticky where people could celebrate! lol

I think if we try and make it more active might make them do something about it! but like they said to me the medcine forum has constant topics every 2 hours and nursing section has threads that are there for 2 or more days!
And it is because of the way it's organised! Students don't bother posting when it's mainly just about applicants!
Definitely need some sort of change!

Omg, that would be my dream placement!! Because my friend has it - I used to go to quite a lot of hospital apts with her while growin up and it was so interesting hearing them give advice about the best ways to manage it!

I'm the same! I had an essay to do when I was in uni and could pick any topic - picked diabetes straight away!!
Do you normally get given a placement you want - say if I do ask for it??
Also, What sort of things did you learn on the placement? and was it people of all ages ?

Unless you have a very nice uni, or you're on managment/elective you don't get to choose. Diabetes nurse specialists can work in the hospital, community- as an adult nurse you'd be working with the elderly. They can be bleeped if someone is going hypo/hyper, admitted with DKA, being discharged with newly diagnosed diabetes, supporting current nurses with education- loads of things

tbh i think its better being a specialist diabetes nurse in the community

Being an adult nurse doesn't mean she will be working just with elderly patients.

oops, sorry i was going to expand that from the elderly, to teenagers with MODY..

lol to anyone who's diabetic and over 18 you mean :P

yeah, was going to give an example of vast majority of patients

ive had patients with MODY, who've been 15/16 but in adult services tho, so not necessarily 18

I wasn't sure if it was 16 or 18. You just made it sound like she would only be seeing elderly patients or patients with MODY! Not just generally any patient with diabetes who is no longer classed as children! Just clarifying!

lol im half awake and have had a whole week of diabetes related lectures

bed now!

No, unfortunately you can't pick your placements generally! Some unis let you swap with people on your course though as far as I'm aware, Mine doesn't though! I just got lucky :P
I do have an elective placement this summer though (i'm in 2nd year) so if you have something similar, then you could try and find a diabetes related placement! Or you can ask on wards to spend a day with certain people! I've spent days with physios and dieticians so I don't see why you couldn't ask to spend the day with a diabetes nurse

I learnt loads! I learnt about all of the different insulins, the tablets for diabetes, about the other meds that a lot of dibetic patients are on and why, diabetes control (things like improving control clinics, starting people on pumps etc) about the problems associated with diabetes and why they happen (they had nephropathy and neuropathy clinics). They had people on injections for weight loss, just everything really! I spent half my week in the clinic, then half the week visiting patients on the wards. You realise just how badly diabetes is managed on the wards.
So I saw everyone from the ages of 16! Oh and I went a clinic which was run by midwives too for pregnant women who develop diabetes!

To be honest, in first year I had a case study for physiology on diabetes and I got 78% for it and I now know I had half of it wrong!

Sorry I've written you an essay but I just loved it so much there!

wow sounds really gooood! ahh can't wait to start and go on placements!

Bet it was interesting working with pregnant women who develop it!! - do they have to be closely monitored throughtout their pregnancy? one of my friends mum developed type 1 while she was pregnant with her! It's weird how they can just develop it because I thought type 1 people are usually either born with it or get it at a fairly young age. Do most preg women get type 1 or 2?

Like you said I could always just ask to spend the day with the diabetes nurse if I don't get a placement! woo

When you said about on the wards - what sort of reasons are the diabetics normally omitted into hospital for?
My friend had to go to hospital because she accidently gave herself an overdose of insulin! :/ wasn't nice! She also became very anorexic - and was very dangerous because she stopped doing her insulin injections all together!

I love reading about anything diabetes-related! lol anything other info? :P

I plan on specialising in eating disorders. My absolute goal and dream would be to set up a new centre for eating disorders.

Omg, that would be my dream placement!! Because my friend has it - I used to go to quite a lot of hospital apts with her while growin up and it was so interesting hearing them give advice about the best ways to manage it!

I'm the same! I had an essay to do when I was in uni and could pick any topic - picked diabetes straight away!!
Do you normally get given a placement you want - say if I do ask for it??
Also, What sort of things did you learn on the placement? and was it people of all ages ?