London South Bank University Adult Nursing, what to expect???

Hi,

I have been made a conditional offer from LSBU Havering, the conditions are that I pass my Access to Nursing course and achieve 21 merits/distinctions, pass my Functional Skills Level 2 Maths exam and achieve a C in my English GCSE. So far I have passed my Access to Nursing course and my final results were 6 passes, 33 merits and 6 distinctions, I have passed my Functional Skills Level 2 Maths exam and I will get the results for my English GCSE at the end of August. As a back-up, in case I failed to achieve my grade C I also took the Functional Skills English Exam which I passed.

Are there any nursing students out there who can tell me what to expect if I meet all the conditions and am able to study at LSBU? What is the timetable like? What are the placements like? How many exams and essays are to be expected? What are our duties when we are on our placements?

Any information will be appreciated.

Thank you in advance
Shelley

Did you start the course?

Hi,

Yep I've started the course, I'm 2 day off of finishing my first placement 😀🎉

@ShelleyRL Congratulations on getting into LSBU, How is it going, what can I expect, I am due to start this Sept, I'm so excited. How's placement? Are you at the Southwark campus or Havering.

Do you remember what the process was for Occupational health and DBS, haven't received any info yet, maybe I'm too eager lol

Hi thank you

It's going well so far, the work load is actually less then I expected at the minute, I've had one 3000 word assignment which was due in 16th Jan, I have 2 more assignments due in in May which are both 3000 words, we've already had the brief for one of those so I've began planning that already so it doesn't get on top of me in May, we have one exam for Bioscience in May aswell but that's the only exam we will have for Bioscience and it's 25% multiple choice and 75% short answer questions so I'm hoping it won't be too bad. The pass mark for assignments and exam is 40%.

We are in uni 4 days a week as the uni is closed on a wednesday (I am at the Havering campus), the timetable changes when we begin a new module, for example when I go back to uni next week my timetable will be different from when I was in before my placement. Monday will be 10-5, Tuesday 9-1, Thursday 11-2, Friday 9-1. The timetable will stay like that until my next placement in 6 weeks.

In time you will receive an email regarding your DBS, but it won't be yet, I received my email at the beginning of September. The occupational health takes place shortly before you begin, you have an appointment at the university and they will give you any injections you need and then you will probably have to go back for another vaccination, once you have had everything you need occupational health will sign you off as fit to commence your placement.

Hope this has been helpful

Hi thank you

It's going well so far, the work load is actually less then I expected at the minute, I've had one 3000 word assignment which was due in 16th Jan, I have 2 more assignments due in in May which are both 3000 words, we've already had the brief for one of those so I've began planning that already so it doesn't get on top of me in May, we have one exam for Bioscience in May aswell but that's the only exam we will have for Bioscience and it's 25% multiple choice and 75% short answer questions so I'm hoping it won't be too bad. The pass mark for assignments and exam is 40%.

We are in uni 4 days a week as the uni is closed on a wednesday (I am at the Havering campus), the timetable changes when we begin a new module, for example when I go back to uni next week my timetable will be different from when I was in before my placement. Monday will be 10-5, Tuesday 9-1, Thursday 11-2, Friday 9-1. The timetable will stay like that until my next placement in 6 weeks.

In time you will receive an email regarding your DBS, but it won't be yet, I received my email at the beginning of September. The occupational health takes place shortly before you begin, you have an appointment at the university and they will give you any injections you need and then you will probably have to go back for another vaccination, once you have had everything you need occupational health will sign you off as fit to commence your placement.

Hope this has been helpful

Hello!


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Hi @TagridS Are you going to lsbu this year or started, which course did you apply for?

Hi @ShelleyRL how did you find the essays? How do you plan your essays, i see you have submitted about 3 essays now, did you get good grades, is there much support, how many groups are they for adult nursing at the Havering campus, how are your placements going? Do I have anything to worry about?

Hi,

Sorry I have only just seen this.

The essays, for someone like myself who struggles with the academic side of thing's have been quite difficult, the first essay I literally put sweat and tears into it and I got 67% so was very pleased with that. For the assignments that were due in together, I got 44% on one (not so good) to pass you need to hit 40% so I just managed that, so many students failed that assignment so I was pleased to have passed and I got 61% on the other. I admittedly didn't put as much effort into those as we also had the exam to revise for and were on placement, I'm not going to punish myself too much for it though because none of your grades in the first year are counted towards your degree.

There is support there but you have to work out the tutors who are willing to help, the library staff are really helpful with referencing so definitely use their help.

We have two groups in our cohort, Group A and Group B, in 2nd year we will all be merged into one group though.

Placements are really good, don't get me wrong they are hard work but this is the part of the course that I really enjoy. I have to get up quite early because I live further out than most but I cope.

I don't think you have anything to worry about personally. I asked so many people about this course before I decided to do it and to be honest, I was a bit put off by the negativity from everyone but I'm glad I didn't listen. I have a 5 year old and a 9 year old and that's where my struggle comes in, but I will manage some how. My only piece of advice I have is for you to plan your time well, if you do that you will be ok. I used to have so many days where I could be doing my assignments but I'd sit down take a look at it, struggle, then put it down because it's too hard, then I'd do some housework or something silly like that, don't ever do that because you have to do it at some point so just soldier through.

I am not having 5 weeks off for summer and I still can't actually believe I've gotten through first year and I am soon to be a second year nursing student, if I can do it literally any one can do it, you just have to want it.

If you want to know anything else then you know where I am.

Thanks

Hi @ShelleyRL, you have been my biggest support throughout my crazy journey trying to get into my dream course at lsbu thank you so much for finding time to contact me directly through this platform even with your busy lifestyle, I'm so proud to hear about your journey and that you have 2 children who need you dearly, your doing great things I'm telling you. Your creating history and your truly an inspiration to us all, I've met people along my crazy journey and we all have the same worries, but I think the more we worry the more we won't knuckle down and get through it. I'm so grateful to have you, to provide me with some extra advice and support, every step of the way I've told myself "many students have been in this position before me if they can do it so can I. My main worry is that I haven't been in education or training for over 5 years so I'm still a little rusty. Especially with essays and bioscience which I'm so scared about.

So currently what's your study strategy Hun, do you record lectures? or take notes during lectures? Or do you go home or to the library to go back through the content of that day, or do you review notes when you get home and add to them and then test your understanding? The reason why I ask is because I haven't found a study strategy that works for me. In the past in lectures I used to write detailed notes but never review them, I never went over the content the same day or after I just kept writing stuff down but it didn't get me anywhere, I never learned anything from the content. This time round I want to go in strong and know from the start what I'm going to do. I think instead of writing detailed notes on things I'm not clear on I'll listen and note down important concepts, topics main theme of the lecture and note down questions I'm not so sure on, and if I need clarification I can always ask the lecturer after what do you think? I was thinking of getting a voice recorder too and I'll ask ever lecturer if I can record the lecture before doing so, I'm also gonna sit in the front since there's less distractions in the past I used to sit next to friends and never take anything in and get distracted.

We were also offered early library workshops which were okay, I didn't pick up a lot from it but it was a start and I've taken notes, I'm happy we've got an induction week aswell that will help things fall into place.

Congrats on passing first year Hun I'm so proud to hear that

Your more than welcome @nelfran29. Don't get me wrong it isn't easy being apart from my children for so many hours in the day but they know why I'm doing it, there's other weeks when I'm not on placement that I'm hardly in uni so that kind of makes up for it.

I'm 29 now, I done my access course when I was 28 after being out of education for 12 years, when I heard the word assignment I had no idea what to expect because I didn't have to do them when I was in school. You will be so fine, just listen to all the advice given when the tutors hand out assignments. It's a scary thought but so many are in your shoes, there are so many mature learners, some even in 40's, 50's so don't be too worried.

To be honest I don't know what my learning strategy is yet, I still haven't figured it out, I've tried a bit of everything and I'm still not quite sure. I would say though keep your notes basic and as little words as possible. I was so scared of bioscience, I struggled from day one and still do, I spoke with the tutor in March (2 months before the exam) because it still wasn't going in and he suggested a mind map of words which would trigger my memory and also flash cards, but keep it simple, when I showed him my flash cards he said it's no wonder it's not going in because I'd put far too much information on them and my brain was shutting down at the sight

I do think using a recorder would be a good idea, I'm going to get myself one for 2nd year because sometimes in uni there are so many distractions that I find it hard to concentrate. I definitely would recommend sitting at the front away from friends because it is so easy to find yourself distracted and to be honest sometimes the lectures are quite boring so it doesn't take much to distract me

Before you know it you'll be a second year too

Hi @ShelleyRL again thanks so much for your advice and support I'm excited but so scared but can't wait to get stuck in, I'll deffo use all the support available I've already got the reading list for the first module I just can't wait for enrolment so I can make use of it early on since our campus is so small and so on, how are you finding the Havering campus what about the skills labs and so on, did you get offered queens hospital? I really wanna go there since it's so close to home? Do you know how they select students for placement and in groups since there's 2 from last year I know the first group go to placement in November and so on, or is it like a drop of a hat or whatever, I won't be working while at uni so I hope I'm okay for money and stuff, I'm still waiting on my occupational health appointment I know they deal with thousands of students I just want it over with, I'm working now and getting a day off is difficult just want some notice, my enrolment isn't until the 16 September so I'll make sure I'm not working and so on, my DBS is done now tho i'm so happy I waited about 4 weeks for it which isn't too bad. I still can't believe I got accepted, this Monday will be 5 weeks until my induction can't believe it, need to quit my job in the mean time and get my daughter ready for year 2 school uniform, childcare you name it and student finance and benefits and the council.

Since you have children how soon did you advise the council of your university place and money coming in and so on, what letters will I need and how soon should I be contacting them, mine gonna get tricky I already know. Maybe I'll wait till enrolment I'll then be able to get letters from student services to prove I'm a university student and other exemptions I'll be entitled to.

How do you commute to the Havering campus, bus, car or train Hun?

Have you got a student oyster does it help, should I get one when I start, as you can see I'm trying to prepare myself as early as I can.

I'm so happy I'm sorted childcare tho, another thing, how soon did you get your timetable at the head start day they gave us a timetable with dates but no times so I don't know what times I'm expected to be in uni and so on, also it doesn't help when applying for the childcare grant through student finance, I don't know what placements I'll be on and so on, times or dates, it's hard to plan when you don't know what to expect, since they only pay a maximum of £159 a week, which isn't realistic for someone on a nursing course, it should be worked out against the course studied, since we're in uni 45 weeks for the year and more is expected of us, do you know what I mean Hun? I get we get the parent learning allowance but we should NOT have to spend that money on childcare, our kids still need to be clothed and fed I really don't know who works our these things? It's a question I will be asking shortly because it's ridiculous, it's a good thing the parent learning allowance isn't taken into consideration as income, I'm hoping child benefit and child tax isn't too, I'll be looking into that shortly. Also I hope I made the right calculations, my childcare is likely to change every week and since we only get student fianance 3 times a year gonna be tricky if there's a mistake.

And I just realised you were the last intake for the bursary so some of what I'm describing doesn't apply to you, but still answer if you can Hun, much appreciated.

Hi @nelfran29

I actually prefer the size of the Havering campus, it's always so nice and quiet which for some reason doesn't stress me out as much, even when I have to pop things into uni or grab a book I know it will be quiet so I have a relaxed attitude to it. The skills lab and all other amenities are more than adequate for the course and I have always found them fine.

I got allocated BHR trust and I am at Queens but I have no idea how they actually allocate the placements to students. The first group went out in November and the second group went out in January, I think the groups are randomly selected, I weren't happy with being in group b at first but as I settled in it all evened itself out.

I planned not to work while at uni but my car broke and I had to borrow £2000 off of family members so had to go back to work, I'm working as much as I can over the holidays so I can stop when I go back to uni because my work will 100% suffer and that's not a gamble I want to take. You will be fine money wise but you do have to learn to live a little cheaper lol.

You sound like your well prepared and on top of everything so that's good, there is so much paper work when it comes to children but as long as you have it all under control you shouldn't have any problems.

One thing I will tell you that no one thought to tell me and I only found out by my older sister who had done a psychology degree is that you can get an exception certificate from the uni to give to your council, if you are a single parent you don't have to pay any council tax at all, if you have a partner I think you get a 25% discount, anything helps as a student.

As soon as I got all my paper work, the exemption certificate, loan and bursary forms etc I then gave it all to the council but it wasn't until I had enrolled.

I commute by car, I'm from Hertfordshire so it's a little bit of a pain but it isn't really awful.

We didn't get our official timetable until our induction week which was a bit of a pain as I needed to make child care arrangements. The childcare funding is ridiculous, our course isn't like any other course out there, it is so full on. Your time table will vary from module to module, then when you're on placement it will also vary, I could not find a child minder who would accommodate the changes so I had to ust get child care every Monday and Tuesday after school during term time and just hope that's when I'd be in uni until 4 or 5 and not any other day. This year I'm just going to get childcare Monday to Friday after school it just means paying more out of my own pocket but less stress so it will be ok. As far as I am aware child tax credit and child benefit isn't counted as an income but I'm not 100% certain on that.

Hey @ShelleyRL, the council tax exemption letter I know about and I will get that letter as soon as I enrol for sure and thanks for that, a lot of people don't know about it. I've accounted for Monday to Friday childcare currently at £162 a week while my daughters at school and it's even more when she's not, especially with inset days and bank holidays and so on. I've already told my childminder about the delay in student finance payments I also need to find out how soon the uni let student finance know of our attendance and so on, I need a laptop too and hope I get the access bursary because that's what I'll use to pay for it, it's bad enough not having a laptop now how can I be more involved in my course without one since I'll use my study time at home mostly I've already got my desk in order topped with books and paperwork from my access course that should help. I spoke to the course leader who said as far as she knew there's been no changes to the access bursary and nursing students got it last September so I'm hoping I get it too because I really need it, again thats more income to disclose you just can't win eh, our course is different to other courses but still we get caught up with the council, soon as I get my ID I'll have my paperwork in order, I've got my student finance letter already, but since I've just recently applying for childcare they will send me another letter so I should get that soon I hope, that's the first letter, my child benefit they know about, so I guess I'll bring in my tax credit award notice the newly updated one anyway babe that should clear my income, so that's about 2 letters plus my council tax exemption letter from the uni and proof I'm a student with the uni stamp. I'll be contacting the student services team at Southwark since that's where our letters come from and request these letters so that's 2 in total.

Cant believe your from Hertfordshire isn't that a bit far wow.

Did you sign up to Unison/ RCN, Nursing standard or nursing times or any body? Wanted to know if it was worth it, what about student ambassador, I know you get paid for that not that I would find the time my lifestyle is crazy as it is even with one child.

Is there anything I need to know about in the mean time, I still haven't received my online enrolment form yet, I know it's still early days I've got about a month anyway before enrolment, I'm thinking there's something wrong with my email address I haven't received emails in a while from uni it's started slowing down now, like I've heard from other students they have their appointment for occ health and there's me still waiting I filled in the online questionnaire ages ago, again it's a busy department I just wanna be ready all this waiting, I've had my offer since Feb and still waiting lol, deffo impatient or what

Hi, how did you managed to fill in your DBS form? Still finding it difficult to do.
Anyways congrats on your offer..im equally starting this Sep at lsbu for adult nursing.