Doing placement in first year

I’m a first year nursing students doing mental health nursing I don’t have any summer holiday due to placement, how does nursing students deal with it ?

Reply 1

username5761748

Welcome in the working world I would say. Even though I have not trained in GB but in Germany where it is a vocational training and not primarily academic training, we only had 28 days a year off for vaccations (weekends and days off during 10/4 cycles not included), which is average for the working propulation. You get used to it.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 2

Allyson2020

Original post by Shweetyyy

I’m a first year nursing students doing mental health nursing I don’t have any summer holiday due to placement, how does nursing students deal with it ?

Hi
I'm a NHS dual adult & midwife nurse and unfortunately working through your summer doing placement or university studies when you used to having it off is part of the job of a nurse I'm afraid. You'll get few days of at end of August if you started last September then you start second year early September.

When I did my student days I just used this as if I was working at another job as I was working part-time outwith so I treated it as that.
You get approx 6 weeks of anyway plus exam time & few weeks for reading weeks as it called so you really getting more than you think of.

This is actually supposed to prepare for the real working when you qualify as a nurse as you only get 27 days & any public holidays a year when you first start permanent job.

Hope you coping with things with the course xx

Reply 3

Shweetyyy

Original post by Allyson2020

In terms of social life how did you deal with it I’m just worried that I’m not going to be able to go out and enjoy handing out with friends due to placement

Reply 4

Shweetyyy

Original post by Shweetyyy

In terms of social life how did you deal with it I’m just worried that I’m not going to be able to go out and enjoy handing out with friends due to placement

How many hours and how many days did you go in btw ?

Reply 5

Allyson2020

Original post by Shweetyyy

In terms of social life how did you deal with it I’m just worried that I’m not going to be able to go out and enjoy handing out with friends due to placement

Social life is achievable if you plan things out properly as I think you will already be doing as first year student.
Depending on which type of placement you on will determine your nights out etc as job is 7 days a week as you'll know.
If you done any placement so far you'll hopefully see how it goes but if you not yet done any placement then its varies from you working 3 days or 5 days a week ( example of things would be say from 6am - 2pm / 2pm - 10pm & 10pm - 6am nightshifts - this you'll do 5 days from 7 ok. ), then there's long shifts 12.5 / 13 hours but only 3 from 7 days you working but it can be anything from days / nightshifts or weekends you do, your days you working will vary ).

Original post by Shweetyyy

How many hours and how many days did you go in btw ?

So basically you must do approx 37.5 hours over the week from above mentioned shifts roughly. Same as I said on your days you'll work to. No two weeks will be same probably with your shifts you'll work okay as you'll be working same days / shifts alongside your mentor / supervisor.

I do a straight 12 hours shift pattern for both nights & days but I do only 3 days per week.

As long as you are coping and staying upto date with all your studying at university and placements then you'll be fine for a social life, when doing university studies best leaving good night out till the Friday or Saturday to allow you time to concertrate on the paperwork you'll be doing after finishing university daily, similar situation for placements as make time to write up any notes etc before having nights out etc ok.