Current Nurse/Midwife and Student Nurse/Midwife - Ask Me Anything thread masterlist

OP

Hello there,

To nurses and student nurses and midwives, does anyone on here use apps on their mobile or tablet, I am due to start Adult Nursing in September 2017 and just wanted to start downloading apps to familiarise myself with anatomy and physiology and drug calcs, can anyone recommend an app or website that I can subscribe to for a minimum cost. I used to subscribe to RCN, Nursing Standard and Nursing Times but don't anymore.

Much appreciated thanks :smile:

Hi there!

A word of caution with apps... You will not always be able to guarantee that they are evidence based and/or in line with policy on your local placement. For example, there are lots of different weight estimation calculations for paediatric patients. An app may use one, whereas it may be the policy of an A&E department to use another.

That said, you can get the BNF (Drug formulary) as an official app. There is also a NICE guidance app. I also like the app "Read" by QxMD. It's a literature app, that via an NHS Athens or University institution login gives you access to lots of journals etc. You will undoubtedly have access to these via your university, however as a qualified nurse without easy access to literature, I quite like it. You can select journals and/or specialties to 'Follow' and receive push notifications every time there is a publication that fits the criteria you have set - great for keeping up to date with the latest in whatever area interests you, or an area you may be writing an essay on.

You can also download the Oxford Medical Dictionary for free (With in-app purchases) and individually download all of the Oxford Handbooks (Don't go spending a fortune though!)

I also have Google translate on my phone. While I know this isn't an NHS approved tool, for simple things like "Hi I'm Joel, I'm the nurse looking after your son today" it is quite helpful.

A final app you may find useful is one called MyDuty. It's a shift planner app for nurses. The interface itself is OK, however it's one of the only apps my friends and I can find where we can create a private group among us, and all see what each other is working. That way we can plan get togethers around our shifts much easier.

Hope that all helps!

Reply 241

nelfran29

11

Original post by PaediatricStN

Hi there!

A word of caution with apps... You will not always be able to guarantee that they are evidence based and/or in line with policy on your local placement. For example, there are lots of different weight estimation calculations for paediatric patients. An app may use one, whereas it may be the policy of an A&E department to use another.

That said, you can get the BNF (Drug formulary) as an official app. There is also a NICE guidance app. I also like the app "Read" by QxMD. It's a literature app, that via an NHS Athens or University institution login gives you access to lots of journals etc. You will undoubtedly have access to these via your university, however as a qualified nurse without easy access to literature, I quite like it. You can select journals and/or specialties to 'Follow' and receive push notifications every time there is a publication that fits the criteria you have set - great for keeping up to date with the latest in whatever area interests you, or an area you may be writing an essay on.

You can also download the Oxford Medical Dictionary for free (With in-app purchases) and individually download all of the Oxford Handbooks (Don't go spending a fortune though!)

I also have Google translate on my phone. While I know this isn't an NHS approved tool, for simple things like "Hi I'm Joel, I'm the nurse looking after your son today" it is quite helpful.

A final app you may find useful is one called MyDuty. It's a shift planner app for nurses. The interface itself is OK, however it's one of the only apps my friends and I can find where we can create a private group among us, and all see what each other is working. That way we can plan get togethers around our shifts much easier.

Hope that all helps!

Thanks so much you have been so helpful. I will get downloading straight away. :smile:

Reply 242

nelfran29

11

Original post by futurechildnurse

Hi @nelfran29,I am very well,thank you. How about yourself? Well,I have got a full time job as a hca,which I start next month! I have also applied for another uni via extra as well. If things don't go to plan this year,then I'll just apply via ucas on 6th Sept and concentrate on my job and learning to drive. How about you? Anything new? X

Hi @futurechildnurse, I'll be starting london south bank uni in September I applied for Adult.

I have also joined a care agency and I absolutely love it, I drive and commute to and from clients, it's great, its flexible and so rewarding I can't wait to start placements I just hope I'm in the first group to go, since my uni have adult nursing groups for placement purposes. I believe something will happen through Extras your not the only one to go down this route I just hope your applied in the nick of time, when can you expect to hear from the uni you applied to through this route?

Reply 243

SUZIO123

1

Hi

Does anyone have any idea what the teaching timetable will be like for first year Adult nursing? I know each uni will be different. I am going to Stirling Uni.. thanks

Reply 244

Brough 72

Hi has anybody on here had to intercalate . I may have to take this option as I have broken my wrist and cannot continue on my placement . Unable to progress into 2nd year as I do not have the required hours . I just wondered what happens with regards bursary , maintenance loan and student status . I may be withdrawing for a period of four months . Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated x

Reply 245

PQ

Clearing and Applications Advisor

21

Hi everyone

We've collated all the AMA Nursing/Midwifery threads into this list of links - so if you have any questions for current nursing students or qualified nurses then this is a good first place to look.

If you've started your own Nursing/Midwifery AMA thread then please let me know in this thread and I'll add the details to this post :smile:

PurdyGirl101 is a first year student midwife at Anglia Ruskin. You can ask her questions and read previous questions and answers on this thread

-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-

Joel/PaediatricStN is a third year Child Branch Student Nurse. He is also employed by his university to speak to sixth formers about nursing courses and providing them with guidance on how to get into nursing. You can ask him questions and read previous Q&As on this thread

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Bluecord is a third year Adult Branch Student Nurse and started this thread. Unfortunately they haven't been back to TSR since starting the thread but lots of our other student nurses have provided detailed answers to some of the questions there.

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nkbarker176 started this thread as a first year Child Branch Student Nurse at Southampton.

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laurentrav started an AMA as a first year Adult Nursing student at Leeds back in 2013. The thread contains some very detailed information on her experiences but it doesn't look like she is currently active.

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deviant182 is a first year Learning Disability Nursing student. Her thread is here. She also has a LD Nursing Blog.

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rachaelftw is a Second Year Mental Health Nursing student. You can ask her questions on her thread.

quoting thread owners in to let them know

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 246

anisaakther

2

Hi, I really want to apply for Midwifery this year, and know that during the interview process they are likely to ask me about current topics/issues surrounding midwifery. Do you have any tips and most of all some topics I should be aware and read of? Thanks a lot :smile:

Reply 247

Steviedawn123

3

Hi guys!
Just need abit of advice, i have been working as a HCA on the nursebank for a few years, and am now gonna finally apply to do my training - however having worked on the nurse bank i have worked in both adult nursing and midwifery. I love both and cant decide. Is there anyway to write a personal statement to fit both courses or will i have to bite the bullet before i apply!?

Reply 248

PaediatricStN

OP

12

Original post by Steviedawn123

Hi guys!
Just need abit of advice, i have been working as a HCA on the nursebank for a few years, and am now gonna finally apply to do my training - however having worked on the nurse bank i have worked in both adult nursing and midwifery. I love both and cant decide. Is there anyway to write a personal statement to fit both courses or will i have to bite the bullet before i apply!?

It's best to bite the bullet before you apply. Nursing and midwifery, while there are some big crossovers, have distinct differences too. Both are so competitive that the admissions tutors will want to see 100% commitment to one course; if they see any doubts in there, they'll just move on to the next application.

Reply 249

lillie__

5

I’m in year 12 and I’ve onlu just realised that I really want to do midwifery. However, the A levels that I’ve taken (Spanish, French, Sociology and English Literature) aren’t gonna help me with this...I don’t know what to do !! I can’t change my options now it’s too late and I feel stuck

Reply 250

Maria.Sierra

7

Hi all,

I'll be applying to Stafford university for adult nursing.

Can anyone recommend any books to read prior to starting my course? I'd like to be prepared.

Thanking you

M

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 251

MDouglas

14

Hi all
I'm due to start access to nursing course in Sep but I want to get a little pre-prepared for applying for nursing, I've already had some great advise regarding writing my personal statement and I'm going to get to work on getting some rough drafts prepared but my main concern is the next step literacy and maths tests

I feel fairly confident about the literacy however although I got a C in my maths GCSE this was a while ago and I'm not overly confident with maths can anyone offer some advise on best way to brush up on my maths skills?

thanks

Reply 252

Charlotte's Web

21

Original post by MDouglas

Hi all
I'm due to start access to nursing course in Sep but I want to get a little pre-prepared for applying for nursing, I've already had some great advise regarding writing my personal statement and I'm going to get to work on getting some rough drafts prepared but my main concern is the next step literacy and maths tests

I feel fairly confident about the literacy however although I got a C in my maths GCSE this was a while ago and I'm not overly confident with maths can anyone offer some advise on best way to brush up on my maths skills?

thanks

We have a long list of practice tests which may be useful to you. This way, you can get an idea of the difficulty and the types of questions that may be asked. It doesn't need to be just the test for your specific university, if you have a look through you'll find they are all very similar. You can find them here:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5084328

Reply 253

MDouglas

14

Original post by Charlotte's Web

We have a long list of practice tests which may be useful to you. This way, you can get an idea of the difficulty and the types of questions that may be asked. It doesn't need to be just the test for your specific university, if you have a look through you'll find they are all very similar. You can find them here:
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5084328

Thank you I'll take a look :smile:

Reply 254

Dija51

13

Hi I'm just worried because I don't have much experience working within a care setting and have only done a week of work experience and so I won't be as knowledgable

Reply 255

Limechrome

4

Hello!
I'm a college student here currently studying 2 A levels and a level 3 BTEC:
- Biology
-Psychology
-Heath and social care
I wish to go into adult nursing through university but all the negative articles and comments made about pay, treatment and competence has really unmotivated me!
Are you able to help me out here?

Reply 256

Fezza123

3

Original post by Limechrome

Hello!
I'm a college student here currently studying 2 A levels and a level 3 BTEC:
- Biology
-Psychology
-Heath and social care
I wish to go into adult nursing through university but all the negative articles and comments made about pay, treatment and competence has really unmotivated me!
Are you able to help me out here?

i do the exact same subjects but i'm applying for midwifery this year. i think you shouldn't be discouraged. if you really want to be a nurse then do it. maybe try to get some wok experience shadowing a nurse or talk to a nurse about your worries. that should clear things up for you.

Reply 257

Fezza123

3

Original post by lillie__

I’m in year 12 and I’ve onlu just realised that I really want to do midwifery. However, the A levels that I’ve taken (Spanish, French, Sociology and English Literature) aren’t gonna help me with this...I don’t know what to do !! I can’t change my options now it’s too late and I feel stuck

if midwifery is what you really want to do for the rest of your life, you will have to start over with different subjects. i mean, whats a extra year of your life in college if you get to do exactly what you want to do in the long run. personally, i had sort of the same experience and decided to start over. now im applying for midwifery at the end of this year. took me 3 years instead of 2 but i think its the best decision ive ever made and its totally worth it.

Reply 258

Fezza123

3

Original post by Steviedawn123

Hi guys!
Just need abit of advice, i have been working as a HCA on the nursebank for a few years, and am now gonna finally apply to do my training - however having worked on the nurse bank i have worked in both adult nursing and midwifery. I love both and cant decide. Is there anyway to write a personal statement to fit both courses or will i have to bite the bullet before i apply!?

its entirely possible. if you google it, there are lots of websites that help you write a dual personal statement that you can use when applying for 2 different courses.