How to cope with my training?

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Hi

I am about to start a HNC in care and administrative practice. (Higher national certificate) This course can allow me on the second year of a Uk Adult Nursing degree.

I am terrified. I start on the 26th of this month. What I am curious about is how to cope and what I should take with me?

So does anyone have any tips for how to deal with my course and placements?

Thank you in advanced.

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

I will be surprised that your HNC will allow you into a second year of the adult nursing degree. Have you been told this by a university because if you have I would get it in writing. You have to get 4200 hours of practice and theory in threes years to meet the NMC requirement to register. I would check into this.

My husband is a lecturer and is involved with healthcare courses and said that you can't skip a year of nursing degree because of hnc I would really check this.

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Firstly this is in Scotland and my college is one of two to create the Hnc.

Summary: Students completing the inaugural HNC Care and Administrative Practice course at James Watt College can now take advantage of a groundbreaking articulation route into a new nursing degree. Staff from the College have played a key role in the creation of the agreement which, in a Scottish first, allows students to progress onto the second year of the degree.

West College Scotland News Detail

However I still want to go into first year anyway. I think? What I need advice on how to cope though. I am so nervous.

I was told by the head lecturer that from End of October to the end of the year I am on placement at least one day a week. However from January I am at college one day a week and placement 4 days a week.

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

I done my nursing degree with my son and I have got to say that it is not easy. I thought so many times that unwanted to give I had this feeling with a lot if my cohort. But you look at what you achieve at the end of it.

You need to make sure that you don't leave assignments until the last minute and do them in good time. Use all tutor support that is on offer. You will do just fine. When you have placements in a hospital make the most of it and go and see everything that is on offer. If you can follow a patients from admission through to discharge (if they have surgery ask to go to theatre and watch the surgery). There is so much you can get out of placement you just need to put the work in.

I started college and completed university with a 12 month old baby and its the best thing I ever done. (My husband also done his degree at the same time). My son went to nursery full time he really enjoyed it.

Nursing is a fantastic career and I have to say I love my job. What do you want to specialise in? Do you have any idea?

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What I want to do is a general medical/general surgical ward when I graduate and ground myself. Then after I can specialise or do what ever I want.

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

What scares you about your training ?

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Just how difficult and tiring people say it is. Oh and since I have just left school note taking is not something I think I am great at, or got much practice.

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

As I said before it is not easy. But if you start assignments as soon as you get them even if it is researching references and information to use this will help you. You can write your assignment over a number of weeks rather than rushing just before submission.

Placements well they will start early I get up at 5 in the morning for a day shift. Do you know if the hospitals do 12 hours shifts or are they still on shorter shifts?

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I am almost certain that I have 12 hour shifts

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

12 hour shifts are tiring now doubt about that I have been doing them 6 years now and still get tired after them. I prefer nights and tend to work 95% of my shifts as nights.

At first you will be working with someone closely then your confidence will grow and you will learn the ropes as they say and will be allowed to provide care on your own obviously within reason.

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I think I am more worried about college course work than anything else and note taking. I am not great at it.

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Specializes in Critical Care/NICU.

They used to provide a lot of the notes when I was in Uni. You can always ask the tutors if they can provide electronic copies of presentation beforehand. You could contact the college and ask if they provide lecture notes

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