Well I thought I'd come and post on here with a little update. I've now done my first week of placement which was actually squeezed into long days over the weekend. Although it was very hard going, working "out of hours" this weekend was quite good experience and seemed totally different to what you normally get to see just working a normal 9-5. I got lots of hands on experience with trolley patients and I feel like I learned a lot even though it was quieter than expected.
Today is the start of my second week of placement and day four of my eight days in a row and I feel as though the wheels are coming off already. I think today was the worst day I've had on placement. I was glad it was "only" an 8 hour stint rather than 12 like on Fri, Sat and Sun but more fool me! By lunch time I was well and truly ready to throw the towel in. However, a bit of fresh air and some lunch helped me compose myself a little but I feel like I lost any confidence I might have had today and can't see it coming back anytime soon. For the first time on placement I just felt like I'm drowning in it all at the moment.
I think working under the watchful eye of one of the more stringent mentors for the second time in a matter of days and a combination of tiredness, being a bit rusty and trying to get back into the swing of placement just took it's toll and has all built up. It just got too much today and I felt/feel quite weepy and deflated which isn't actually like me at all. So tonight I have just put my feet up and tried to relax as best I could. Tomorrow I will have to pick myself up and start again. I'm proud of myself for carrying on as normal after lunch and involving myself in things rather than shying away (which is what I really wanted to do) but I can't help but feel annoyed at myself though for allowing it to get to me in the first place.
I don't know what has happened but since I've been back it seems like I am slipping back at the moment rather than moving forwards. Everything I do seems to be wrong and today especially I couldn't seem to get anything right but I guess everyone has days like that (or I hope?). It just isn't particularly nice when it happens and thank god days like today don't come around too often because they really take it out of you! However, I am hoping a good night's rest and sleep will fix that. I have a shortish day tomorrow and most of that will be taken up by the weekly tutorial so I'm hoping a change of scene will do me good.
So anyway, this week I am on mobiles which I am actually starting to quite enjoy. I didn't get to go on many today but fortunately I did do over the weekend, most of which were in intensive care but some were in A&E and for ward patients. I remember my very first placement feeling quite out of place and out of my depth when going on mobiles with the radiographers because I didn't quite know what I should be doing to help or where I should put myself, and obviously the patients are quite poorly you are very aware of the wires and machinery and worried about doing something silly. But I think something has finally clicked now in that respect and so I get involved when I can.
I ordered some books over the weekend hoping to get them by the end of the week to stay on top of things both uni-wise and to prep for my week in modalities and in CT. Unfortunately I had to re-order them today which means I probably won't get them next week now but nevermind. It sounds daft but new books always cheer me up and get me motivated to study. I do have a fair few books already in the anatomy and physiology stakes, one of which was on the core reading list for uni but I struggle with it so I've ordered another that I've seen and find quite easy to follow. I also wanted one that would help me learn about cross-sectional images from CT and MRI and how to view images from other modalities such as nuclear medicine and ultrasound in preparation for placement (modalities) and an OSCE I have coming up after Christmas so I think I've got it covered.
For anyone who is interested I got the following:
- Gray's Anatomy for Students (I love the pics in this book, it is so easy to follow. Nice and clear and uncomplicated which is just what I need!)
- Imaging Atlas of Human Anatomy (lots of labelled CT and MRI images for you to look at and learn how to read them. Also a nuclear medicine section)
- Workbook for Textbook for Radiographic Positioning and Related Anatomy (I have this book and probably use it the most but I am finding that a week after learning something I start to forget so I'm hoping the workbook will further re-inforce things and it covers the chapter on modalities so an added bonus :-))
- Medical Imaging of Normal and Patholgic Anatomy (came across this at the checkout and actually looks pretty good. At £8 I thought I'd give it a whirl!)
Anyway, time for me to get off here now. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.
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