My top 5 tips to prepare for placement

Hi! My name is Morgan, and I have now just completed the last of my two placements for my first year of nursing at ARU. I thought it would be a great idea to share some of my top tips to help support any students preparing for placement.

1. Research- When your placements are fully confirmed they will appear on ARU’s e:Vision website. On the placements section of e:Vision you can view your past and future placements. It shows information such as the hours expected from this placement, the hospital in which it is taking place, and the ward/area. It will also give a brief description of the ward, their shift times, etc. From there you can then research this ward/area and get more comfortable and begin to set expectations/goals for this placement.
2. Navigate- As soon as you find out your placement area, I would begin to investigate how you will get to placement. It is important that you figure this out as soon as possible as, if you cannot get to placement on time, it is good to let your ward/placement area know as soon as possible so they can make arrangements to support this. It is also important that you are organised to make sure you arrive at your placement on time to set a good impression. If you are using public transport such as trains or buses, using apps such as the stagecoach app or Trainline to show accurate information I have found very helpful with my commute.
3. Get familiar- My last two placements have been at Addenbrookes. Fortunately, information about each Addenbrookes ward can be found on a website called AccessAble. This website provides detailed descriptions of how to get to each ward. I found this great, it helped to alleviate some of the stress on my first day as I was certain about where I was going and didn’t get lost (as Addenbrookes is massive, so it’s easily done :))
4. Get prepared- Making sure you have all the equipment necessary to facilitate your learning is very important. Turning up each day with equipment such as a pen, notepad, fob watch, access badge, and name badge. Ensuring you consistently bring all these things will allow you to fully engage in your learning. It is also important that you bring a water bottle! Staying hydrated throughout the day is essential for placement.
5. Look after yourself- Going on placement can be a very daunting and stressful time. Especially in the process of beginning a new placement, you might have a lot of expectations you’ve set for yourself and goals you want to achieve. It is very tiring balancing your duties as a nursing student on placement while practicing your clinical skills alongside your practical element of the course, and making sure you get everything signed off and get enough feedback on your assignments. The bad days will be very bad, but the good days make it all so worth it and will confirm why you chose your course in the first place. It is important to be kind to yourself and to continue doing things you enjoy in your spare time to maintain a good and balanced routine.