Christine Musariri
2nd-year Student Nurse on placement at Plane Tree Court Nursing Home in Stockport
I did my 1st placement at the nursing home and honestly it was the best experience I’ve ever had! I had a fantastic practice assessor with loads of experience, and she helped me build my confidence and become the student nurse I am today.
I was an active part of the team, attending and inputting to multi-disciplinary team meetings, working with GP’s and other specialist nurses from the community and learnt a lot about specific conditions such as wound care and diabetes. I had so many opportunities and because the nursing home was relatively small people really invested their time in me. Social care can train future nurses and they can do it well. It doesn’t matter where that student ends up in their career it just goes to make an impact on being part of something – 1 more nurse for people who need it.
I think that all student nurses should do their first placement in social care because what you learn from the start in such a great, supportive environment stays with you forever and you can keep building on this. I was given loads of opportunities but what stays in my mind more than ever was working with one man who was an engineer by trade. I had built up a great relationship with him over time and this meant being able to communicate and show empathy as well as professionalism and skill. He was deteriorating quickly but we still managed to have our conversations about his life and his job as an engineer. This was an important lesson about getting to really know and understand people and giving them time so that a relationship could develop. We all feared he was reaching the end of his life and it was very hard for me. I know about professional boundaries but in a nursing home setting you do develop strong bonds because you have time to care. To my amazement one morning when I arrived, I came in to see him standing up. What!!!! I said. I’ve never felt so good!
He used to call me “My Nurse” and was always pleased to see me.
I wanted to contribute to this handbook because it’s important for other students to hear what a great opportunity social care can offer them. Don’t believe in the myths and don’t miss out by closing your mind to what could be for you, like it was for me the best experience ever!