ITU Placement!

Hi!
So at the moment as part of my nursing course I am on week 7 of my 10 week intensive care unit placement. It's safe to say that I'm loving life! I'll be honest, at first I really didn't like it. I thought it was going to be totally different.
When I first started I was terrified, you walk in and see all these incredibly sick people. They loo delicate, soft and peaceful, but are critically ill. At first it's very overwhelming, there's so much to learn and remember, I was so scared and overwhelmed all the time.
Then, on the last day of my third week (I was just about to go home for Christmas) the sister pulls me into her office and says she's been told that I'm not enthusiastic enough. I was heartbroken because I'd been trying really hard to learn and to be engaged with these patients that I was terrified of. I went on my lunch break and cried. I was totally crushed. I then spoke to the nurse in the hospital who looks after all the students who made me feel so much better. She reminded me that it as only my third week and I was only at the beginning of my second year. She reminded me that it's scary and that it's okay to be scared. She gave me a boost in confidence that I definitely needed.

I then came back 3 months later ready for the remaining 7 weeks of my placement. I felt refreshed and excited, I knew what to expect and I had much more knowledge than I did previously. I was feeling confident about going back. And that nurse was right. I am now nearing the end of my second year, I know much more and felt much more comfortable engaging with these patients.

And yesterday I had a massive breakthrough, in my opinion. I saw a cardiac arrest, put in my first catheter, saw my first intubation (which I assisted with), helped with the transfer of a patient from A&E to ITU and I held someone's airway open for half an hour. Now, if anyone reading this is a student nurse, I can imagine you're excited with me. It was amazing. I had such an amazing day, I felt very confident the whole day and I felt in control. And to make it better, my mentor came on that night and told me about all the good feedback she'd had about me that day. She told me how incredibly proud of me she was and it really made me feel good. I have a brilliant mentor who has really given me the confidence I've needed, always making me feel like I've had a done a good job and always encouraging me to do better. She always makes me feel smart, even when I don't know the answer. And to make it better, she's an incredible nurse who I aspire to be like. Her patient care is golden and she really does care about my education and about the patients she is looking after. Always going the extra mile to make them comfortable, happy and making sure they feel safe. She's one of a kind.


I'm now looking forward to last 3 weeks of my placement, but also feeling sad that it's coming to an end. I really love it there, I might have finally found the place I want to work. I feel like I belong there, feeling an instinct when I walk onto the unit. I'm just loving life and I'm really feeling like I can do this. I can be a nurse. I am good enough and smart enough.

Hopefully others feel the same about their placements. Just remember, that even though sometimes things happen that break us, we can be put back together.

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