Nurse cadets

It depends what kind of experience you want your cadet to have in their first year.

I have know several young cadets to work on the wards, including elderly care, general medical and stroke units. If none of these really strike you as being suitable, how about a GP's surgery or outpatients department?

Karen

In the trust I am a student in, the cadets get placed on every area that accepts first year students, mostly dme, general surgery, med, and some opd.

I'm not an adult nurse so I can only offer suggestions from my CFP experience in which I was placed mainly in community hospitals and this did become quite monotonous. I think OPD's are a really good idea, and would have exposed me more to the diversity of adult nursing, especially as it gives the cadets a chance to observe nurses' working in a more autonomous role. Or perhaps this is too ambitious and inappropriate given their knowledge base?

I have been the task of working out the placement for a cadet scheme.

My concerns are around exposing a sixteen year old to some of the sights I've seen since qualifying.

Oesophagial varices blowing comes to mind (excuse the spelling)ug all that blood!

Any suggestion where I can place the cadet during the first year so that they get to know how the NHS works(and tell me) and be inspired for the second year

How about community hospitals? They are generally less hectic and less intimidating. You would be able to expose the cadets to nursing slowly, but at the same time they will still be learning. It will give them the opportunity to gain confidence as well as experience. You can learn a lot from the community hospitals environment.

Emma

hi Mike

I started as a HCA at 16 working in what was then Mental handicap before starting my training.. by which time not much could shock me!! community hospitals, rehab/step down units might be a good idea. dont try general practice- we wouldnt know what to with them!!

Karen