ChemGeek

I used to wok in laboratories after doing a chemistry degree and changed to nursing and have now finished my first year of my degree training. I have the same problems as the original poster especially on a busy ward. I'm working as a band 2 HCA to help with my money situation as well (I can't get a student loan because of the previous degree). In terms of changing career, you would need to think about how happy you would be in different environments. Is it just the ward you work on, the hospital you work in, or is it really the career? Your struggles with getting all the paper work done and the related anxiety I feel a lot of too, but I have the added complication of having Attention Deficit Disorder and dyslexia. Think Dory the Fish from finding Nemo. I do have some work arounds that help, but I've found the more structured a ward is set up (and how well it keeps itself stocked up) and the more accessible the paper work is at the point of contact, the easier I find it to keep everything up to date and accurate. At my hospital each ward keeps a MS Word document as a handover sheet which really helps, but each one has a different design and can be cumbersome to leaf through. I'm thinking of printing my own templates for HCA shifts, but when I get to nursing... Well I'm praying that more of the system will be digitised by then or I'll be working in a hospital that is. When I was on placement I found printing them off 2 or even 4 to a page (I'm gifted with great eyes!) was a great help because then I could see more information at once and felt less flummoxed. I also try to keep myself more organised. I have a pocket organiser that keeps scissors, pens, highlighters, medical tape, mini single-hole-punch and mini sellotape in one pocket, and a compact/pocket filofax in the other. The Filofax keeps a lot of information like SBAR, pressure sore info, phone numbers, some anatomy and acronyms in place (as well as a diary of course). I can also keep timesheets and other daily forms in it so I don't have to go looking for bits of paper all the time. The compact size with no pockets in the cover is best because then you can use your own clips to keep these sheets neatly on the inside cover. I also use it as my wallet with a zip-insert. The amount of time I save by not having to look for things all the time is amazing - it's a shame we can't get pocket sized pads and bedsheet packs! The other thing I have is an iPod which I've been given dispensation to keep on me on the wards. I have a copy of the BNF on this and (if I had a newer model) would also be able to access my uni notes and reminders. I know other staff use similar devices to keep themselves organised too.

Hi there, I'm a nursing student in the UK. I'm in my late 20's and have a degree in Chemistry and worked in labs for a few years. I was diagnosed just over 18 months ago and so had a few months with diagnosis and meds (dexamphetamine sulfate max 20mg daily with citalopram). I also have mild dyslexia which I was diagnosed with during my first degree (another story for another thread). Luckily I'm intelligent and really grasp scientific concepts, which gets me through a lot of the theory stuff (apart from essays... but I have support for that). Out on practice it's a different story. I have the same issues as a lot of you on this thread - I'm great when it's not too chaotic and can really shine - especially when I only have a couple of things to concentrate on e.g. really ill patient, one bay of 4 patients, one or two basic tasks for all patients... but yes I do tend to take longer because I converse freely with the patients, which we all know they love! When it's "all hands on deck" but there aren't enough hands I really struggle. The medication for me is essential, and I wouldn't go on shift without it (it's been very difficult when I haven't been unless I've been really lucky with an especially bossy and organised nurse on a quiet shift). These are the things I do to help me: Meds - I have a keyring "cash stash" and key safe (complies with Controlled Medication rules to keep staff and patients meds separate whilst keeping the meds themselves secure) so that I have a decent amount of meds for a few days that only I can access and don't need to rely on anyone's locked drawer. Time management - I have a pager-like sports timer that vibrates every X minutes (in my case 3 or 5) so that I have a better handle on time passing. I keep forgetting to use it, but when I do it makes one hell of a difference to my productivity! Anxiety/moods - I get easily frustrated when I can't find thing easily. Tape, pens and other small basics I keep in my pocket - but not just any pocket. I have a pocket organiser! This is especially handy for tape because mine has a band you attach it to so you can just use one hand to pull some off from your pocket. It also gives the impression that I'm really organised which makes me glow! people always ask me for tape when they can't find any themselves! I also have a small filofax in my other pocket that I keep phone numbers, routines, notes, and flash-card-type info in so it's all in one place. It's also used as my wallet and med-store when bringing in meds from home (I use a compact sized basic model when student-ing or a pocket-sized Kendal when healthcare-assistant-ing). Only having 2 things to take out of my pockets and put in my bag also prevents me from destroying things in the wash! Other organisation - I have a laminated sheet that has a basic medsurg routine on it for things like QDS lifesigns-observations (obs), mealtimes, med rounds and other things that need/tend to happen at certain times or the day for a 24 hour pattern. I can write on this with a whiteboard pen other things I need to do, but I need to find a pen that doesn't wipe off in my pocket (thinking permanent pen and get some alcohol wipes to use at the end of the day). All wards at my hospital use a handover sheet, which is similar to the brain sheets below in concept. However when I'm working as a healthcare assistant I go to all sorts of different wards and each one has a different style (and are inefficient with use of paper space - grrr!), so I think the idea of having my own brain sheet printed out is going to be my way forward with this! Thanks for these below - they are awesome!!